How a major political fallout is threatening harmony in Kisii County

All but Osoro (UDA) and Aburi (Wiper) were elected on Azimio la Umoja tickets. 

Yet, Arati, Onyonka, Aburi and now Monda, don’t see eye to eye. 

For a while, the contest in Kisii county has been between Osoro and Arati, two political nemesis whose bad blood dates back to the campaign period leading up to the August 2022 General Election. 

The Genesis

It was February 1, 2021 during the burial of the father of former Kisii County Deputy Governor Joash Maangi when the two engaged in a fist fight in the presence of then Deputy President William Ruto (now president) and ODM Leader Raila Odinga. 

Ruto and Raila were the greatest rivals in the 2022 election, and Osoro and Arati were their biggest supporters, respectively. When Arati took to the podium, he demanded that Ruto apologises to the Gusii community over the 2008 post-election violence, especially in the Rift Valley region. 

An agitated Osoro charged at Arati, and what followed was an exchange of blows before the two were quickly separated and the funeral disrupted. 

Fast-forward to 2023, Arati is Kisii County Governor, and Osoro holds sway in the Kenya Kwanza administration, under which he serves as the Majority Whip in the National Assembly.  Both men wield some power in their own right. And their political contests have put Kisii on the Kenyan political scene, albeit for all the wrong reasons. 

When Arati assumed office, he embarked on weeding out what he said were ghost workers from the previous regime of James Ongwae. With a lot of fire and conviction, Arati paraded county workers at the Gusii stadium, demanding that each produce their academic credentials and employment letters. 

This triggered a fallout with a section of Kisii leaders, among them Senator Onyonka and Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi, who felt that employees from the Abagetutu clan of the Abagusii were being targeted, because former Governor Ongwae hailed from Kitutu Chache North. 

In political meetings and even funerals, Onyonka teamed up with Kibagendi and UDA’s Kitutu Chache North MP Japheth Nyakundi to castigate Arati for the alleged profiling of county employees. 

However, along the way, Onyonka and Kibagendi seemed to have mended their relationship with Arati, and a few appearances here and there showed them backing the governor. 

Enters Osoro, again. 

The South Mugirango MP clashed on several occasions with Arati in gatherings, sometimes their differences leading to physical fights among their supporters. 

Osoro accuses Arati of sidelining Members of County Assembly (MCAs) in Kisii, especially those allied to the Kenya Kwanza faction. 

The climax of their fallout came during the Azimio la Umoja countrywide demonstrations to protest the high cost of living among other contentious issues. 

Kisii was one of the regions that saw a huge and destructive turnout of demonstrators after Governor Arati implored ODM and indeed Azimio supporters to join other Kenyans in protesting against Ruto’s administration.

Since then, Arati and Osoro have been clashing. Arati, a staunch supporter of Raila and the ODM party, and a critic of the Ruto government, has declared himself the Abagusii spokesperson. This hasn’t gone down well with Osoro. 

Recently, a contingent of GSU officers was deployed to Kisii town and surrounded Arati’s office. This is after Arati appeared to consolidate support among bodaboda riders, a move some of his opponents say is aimed at creating a militia. 

Senator Onyonka said he had requested for the deployment of the GSU officers because Kisii County was becoming chaotic. Arati says it is a form of intimidation, but vows to remain adamant. 

All against Arati 

The Governor’s political enemies seem to grow in numbers. The latest are Senator Onyonka and Woman Rep Aburi. The two, elected on ODM and Wiper tickets respectively, have cut ties with the governor, and have publicly waged a war against him, accusing Arati of mismanaging the county. 

In media briefings and public gatherings, Onyonka and Aburi are now in the same team as Osoro, and Arati seems to receive firing from all corners. 

Onyonka says he was the key to Arati’s win. But his critics say he rode on Arati’s wave to win the Kisii senatorial seat. So did Aburi, a former radio presenter turned politician. 

Interestingly, Osoro’s camp seems to have swayed Deputy Governor Monda to join their team. On Saturday, November 25, Osoro, Onyonka, Aburi and a host of other leaders were holed up in a meeting with Monda, where they said they deliberated on a number of issues concerning the county. 

After the meeting, the legislators, led by Osoro, spoke to the media, saying all they wanted to hear from the DP was how the county is running. Many asked why the leaders did not hold the meeting with the governor, but the answer is obvious. 

Woman Rep Aburi has lately caused a storm after she appeared to take a swipe at Arati’s Chinese wife. In a function, Aburi told Kisii residents not to allow ‘an outsider’ to rule them. Arati’s supporters now accuse her of racism, saying she has stopped too low by attacking the county first lady. 

Senator Onyonka called Arati a chokoraa (street urchin) picked from Nairobi and helped to ascend to the high office in the county. This insult has, as well, attracted massive criticism. 

During Arati’s thanksgiving ceremony in Nyamache on Tuesday, November 28, leaders who spoke at the function castigated those opposed to Arati’s leadership. 

Among them were ODM leader Raila Odinga, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka, Governors Waninya Ndeti, Gladys Wanga and Paul Otuoma. Also present were MP Kibagendi and Kitui Senator Enock Wambua. 

Raila said no amount of intimidation and threats will deter Arati from carrying out his duties as the Kisii governor. Leaders who spoke at the function also hit out at the senator and woman rep, calling them defectors who should resign and seek fresh mandate from the people. 

Arati’s supporters have also been vocal about the fallout. Women have called out Aburi for insulting a fellow woman in Arati’s wife. Onyonka has been condemned for calling the governor a 'chokoraa'. 

On their part, the opposing team wants the governor to be accountable for the running of the county, which they feel is shaky. 

Onyonka and Osoro have called for Arati to account for Ksh.13.B the county received from the national government. They want to see the county developing and they feel the governor is slow in actualising this.

They have also accused the governor of running county affairs from his private home in Bobasi. They say this is a misuse of county resources and it makes it difficult for people to reach the governor.