Alex Kidake: Our county government of Vihiga has become incompetent, unresponsive, and corrupt the time for change is now.

The plan to have Vihiga county voters sign a petition to have the president suspend the county has received a major boost after a Nairobi-based businessman Mr. Alex Kidake himself an aspirant for the Vihiga gubernatorial seat threw his weight behind it.

Speaking exclusively to www.goodmorningkenya.com, the politician said that the ineptitude and abuse of procedure and the constitutional order has exposed Vihigans to untold suffering and poverty.

Our county government has become incompetent, unresponsive, corrupt. And that incompetence, ineptitude, lack of accountability is now dangerous.CongratsSimekha Jme and your team we are together in this until tukomboe our lovely county.

Hon Kidake said.

on 23rd May 2020, Activist Joseph Simekha and former Vihiga county secretary launched an elaborate process to have the county government suspended in what the two called irredeemable corruption and misuse of funds.

below find their pleadings…

Day: Sunday 23rd May 2021Time: Starting at 11.00 am Venue: PANAROLA GARDENS, off Tsimbalo/Ikulu Road, Mbale Town in Vihiga County.Subject: 1. Briefing on Constitutional Petition No. E006 of 2021 at Kisumu High Court, Constitutional & Human Rights Division; for Governor Wilbur Ottichilo to be declared unfit to hold public office due to numerous & persistent incidents of gross violation of the Constitution and written law, all of which work against the needs and interests of the citizens of Vihiga County.2. Launch of Vihiga County Citizens’ initiative to invoke Article 192(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya to petition the President of Kenya to cause the suspension of Vihiga County Government due to the prevailing exceptional circumstances in the County, on the basis of:(1) Numerous gross violations on the rights of County staff and contractors by the Governor, which have led to no less than 25 court cases being successfully filed against the Governor and County Government at enormous cost to the county and citizens of Vihiga County.(2) The Governor’s defiance of numerous valid Court Orders which has led to an enormous cost to the county in form of penalties and interest. (3) Overemployment of health workers, then failure to pay them for 20 months now, which has led to successful litigation against the County Government, resulting in a cost of Ksh.600Million as of May 2021.(4) Sowing division between the different communities residing in the County in the name of protecting the Governor’s position as a property of the Banyore community.(5) Failure of the County Assembly to hold the Governor accountable due to Members accepting monetary and contract favors from the Governor.(6) Display of gross incompetence by the Speaker of the County Assembly of Vihiga, which is resulting in irredeemable losses to the county and citizens of Vihiga County….Simekha JmeFrancis Ominde

” We cannot just seat back and watch our county move from worse to worst. I challenge all leaders to rise to the occasion and make their voices heard. It baffles me to see our county perform dismally yet there is too much potential in Vihiga.” lamented Mr Kidake.

The politician also took issue with all those eyeing the Vihiga county governorship for what he termed as playing safe.

”I challenge all those who have declared interest for the Vihiga governorship to come out clear on this matter of great importance. This is not the time to do politics. The issues my brothers Simekha and Ominde are raising have very grave ramifications to the great people of Vihiga. We cannot, therefore, take a back seat and say because the governor is my friend I will not comment, No! As long as the process has legal backing we must explore that avenue and bring about the required change for Vihigans” added Mr. Kidake.

It should also not escape Vihigans that both Mr. Simekha and Mr. Ominde worked closely with the governor. These two have laid their hands on some information which we must allow them to prosecute hence helping us get to the root cause of all evil in the county government. we should not, therefore, vilify them after all that they have engaged in so far is a legal process.” added Mr. Kidake.

Mr. Kidake also took issue with some MCAs who have abandoned their oversight roles and became stooges of the governor as the county wasted away.

”On issues of trade and investment, the county trade office under the CeC for trade has not helped in setting up a conducive environment for investors to do business in our county. Having a conducive atmosphere for business to thrive is one of the surest ways of improving the livelihoods of our people here in the county. This is one area that my administration will critically look at once we have assumed office” said Mr. Kidake.

Otichilo has come under fire for not replicating his stellar performance as Emuhaya Mp at the county level.

Even as the debate rages on, a constitutional case to have Otichilo declared unfit to hold a public office was being mentioned .

Others eyeing the Vihiga county governorship include, Sen Khaniri George who is likely to run on Cyrus Jiroungo led UDP, forme Governor Akaranga of PPK, Sabatia Mp Hon Agoi on ANC, former county secretary Francis Ominde whose vehicle is not yet known and city businessman Mr Alex Kidake Malova who will be flying the FORD KENYA Flag.