By Eric Omwombo
Azimio leader Raila Amollo Odinga is impressed by Governor James Orengo’s style of leadership that was changing the lives of Siaya residents.
Raila said Orengo’s administration was concerned with the interests of Siaya residents and doing projects with great impact despite the few resources it receives from the national government.
Speaking while flagging off Agriculture Extension Officers and ploughing tractors at Kambare Primary School in Gem sub-county, Raila said the value chains that were being prioritized by Orengo were involving youths and aimed at enhancing food security.
“It’s the lands that are ploughed that would create wealth. If there is hunger, we face poverty in Siaya and the entire Nyanza, we have fertile land that favours agricultural value chains,” said Raila.
Advert” I have gone around various stands with key agricultural value chains, cotton, blue economy, and fruits. Am equally proud of Orengo and the entire county government and the way Orengo is running the affairs of Siaya County. The recent report by COB placed Orengo in good limelight.”
Siaya was ranked among the best counties in terms of payment of pending bills.
Orengo’s calculations have seen pending bills cleared despite the little resources it was receiving from the national government through shared revenue.
The national government’s style of releasing money in piecemeal is a clear indication that the ruling government is disinterested in devolution.
The NADCO report had allowed the state to increase the funding from 15 percent to 20 percent but still, it would be of no importance if there is no will power to execute.
The government appears keen on clawing back functions of the counties.
Raila also said he introduced KURA and KeNHA while he was the roads minister and did so when devolution had not been effected and now that we have devolution it should be devolved.
ODM Political Affairs Secretary and Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi also hailed Orengo’s leadership saying the county has invested in issues that promote the work of Community Health Promoters, employment of ECD teachers on permanent and pensionable terms together with boosting agricultural value chains.
Earlier, Wandayi said Orengo is doing extremely well in terms of community health workers as he has traversed parts of the county and established that Siaya was doing extremely well on service delivery.
The second thing which is positive in Siaya is ECD teachers. Orengo has employed ECD teachers on permanent and pensionable basis.
So this agriculture issue is the third best thing they are doing.
“Today we have witnessed private-public partnerships on agricultural value chains and for sure it will take us far,” said Wandayi, adding “Agriculture is fully devolved even though we continue to struggle to have money released from the Treasury to come down here.”
The National government has only policy as a role to play but still, it wants to handle it fully in this era of constitution that leaves it to Counties.
“The government wants to release a paltry KES 396 billion which is KES 9 or KES 10 billion above what they released previously,”
The leaders ruled out rhetorics from Orengo’s competitors who have been claiming that nothing is going on in Siaya in terms of service delivery.
During the same event, Agriculture Chief Officer Elizabeth Adongo said that KES 196 million fertilizer has been procured and was in Siaya ready for distribution.
Adongo said the KES 166 million fertilizer from the National government is already in Siaya and again the county government’s KES 30 million fertilizer was received by officials from the county today morning.
Adongo said: “We have learnt of the poor harvest that many farmers were getting every harvest and had carried out research that’s why we decided to procure for farmers fertilizers.
“On beans, every farmer should get 24 bags of beans per acre but end up with 6 bags.
“We have also deployed extension officers who shall visit farmers to help respond to their distresses,” said Adongo.
