Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has dismissed the ODM party leader Raila Odinga’s claims that the Bukhungu stadium and the Kakamega County Referral Hospital were some of the major projects the national government had helped initiate in the Westen Kenya region. On Monday, the former PM told off a section of Western Kenya leaders pouting over the recent spate of developments in Kisumu, witnessed during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Madaraka Day celebrations and his tour of Siaya and Kisumu counties.
”The rehabilitated port of Kisumu is not meant for Nyanza or Kisumu county. It is meant to serve East Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa through River Nile. In Kakamega, the country witnessed a partnership between the national and Kakamega county governments to complete an international stadium and a teaching and referral hospital. There were no complaints by other leaders,” Mr. Odinga said in a statement.
However, Mr. Oparanya says Bukhungu stadium was a project initiated and financed by the country government of Kakamega just like it did the Kakamega County and Referral Hospital. Through his communications director, the ODM deputy party leader says the construction of the two projects is financed by allocations to counties from the Treasury.
”Funds being used for the construction of the two flagship projects among others are allocations to counties from the fair share revenue. Completion of the said projects has delayed because of the unstable release of sharable funds by the National Treasury to devolved units, ” Peter Atsiaya said in a statement.
The Kakamega governor however was quick to defend his party leader from criticism, saying there was nothing wrong with the Head of State initiating national projects in Luo Nyanza counties. He also added, Western like Nyanza, is also in need of such initaitives and leaders from the region’s counties have identified a list of projects they intend to lobby for.
”In the handshake’s spirit, local leaders have identified Kakamega, Busia and Kitale airstrips, gold refinery factory in Kakamega, granite factory in Vihiga, roads and water projects among others that require either revival or construction.”
