Kisumu residents want second term governors to retire » Capital News

KISUMU, Kenya, Aug 17 – Residents of Kisumu County have endorsed a recent survey that polled only 22 percent of Kenyans who are ready to reelect their Governors serving second term in office to any other position in the 2027 General Election.

According to a survey, released last week by Timely Kenya, 78 percent of Kenyans believe that fresh leadership could bring faster progress and address lingering challenges.

In Kisumu County, where Governor Anyang Nyong’o is serving his last term in office, majority residents are for the idea that he should retire when his tenure in office ends.

According to a trader, James Maina time is up for the leaders to hand over the baton to the succeeding generation.

“Young people also want jobs and this is the moment for them to stand up to succeed those retiring,’’ said Maina.

Maina is of the opinion that the retiring Governors are placed on pension as a way of thank you, for the service they have rendered to Kenyans.

During the just ended devolution conference in Homa Bay county, ODM party leader Raila Odinga suggested that the governors who have served for second term be given pension.

This is to appease them, ease transitions to power and allow smooth leadership take over.

Maina spoke as a political scientist, Kepher Otieno quoting Ken Blanchard an American motivational speaker who has written more than 70 books, said leadership is transient.

“There is no position which is permanent. Leadership is a process of influence and that influence is not permanent, it is continual,’’ Otieno explained, stressing on generational change as inevitable.

Today, the majority of young people are so innovative, technology savvy and are armed with more modern solutions to society problems as opposed to the past.

Otieno said leadership is also about impact and not titles, saying leaders must inspire others and ensure that they serve the interest of the people for the common good.

“Let the leaders live up to their continuous promise to run the race and hand over the baton to the succeeding generation. They are only temporary stewards of the positions they hold and time is now ripe to pave the way for the young people,’’ he advised.

But borrowing on their generational wisdom, he opined that retiring leaders can be re-allocated to new roles to serve in the development committees or in Church.

In Kisumu for instance, Governor Nyong’o serving his last term, has already pronounced himself to retire to the pulpit.

He wants to go and serve in his mother Christian church, the Anglican Church, as a lay clergy and has already registered for the canonical services at the Church.

But some of his political followers would want him to instead of retiring shift to the Senate to run for the seat as it was evidenced in the case of former Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, who shifted to the Senate.

Nyong’o is however still cagey and is weighing options to this effect even as his close associates continue to nudge him to this end in the wake of the new trending political order. But he has indicated keenness in joining the pulpit

Kisumu based trader George Odhiambo, dissuaded the governor from exploring shifting to run for the senate, saying the old guards should pave way for the Gen-Zs.

One of the key issues that sparked generational protest in the country last year was lack of employment for the young people who decried lack of disposable income.

Consequently, this had led to social deviance with many cases of juvenile delinquency reported to be on the rise among young people.

According to Kisumu aspirant for the Senate, a Nairobi based advocate Fredrick Odumo Nying’uro, time is ripe for them to succeed the conservative leaders in power.

“We are out and we want to claim the positions to serve our people and we will run for these positions, without relenting. It’s my humble appeal for young people to unite and push for generational change. Time is up,’’ said Nying’uro.

So far, he is the only candidate who has come out early to announce his bid after the incumbent Prof Tom Ojienda indicated interest to exit the post and run for Governor in 2027.

Nying’uro has been running around marketing and popularizing his bid, focusing on the strength of the young people to pedal his drive to the Senate come 2027 General Elections.

As things stand, all eyes are open to what will transpire as Kenya warms up to transitional elections , with campaigns likely to peak up steadily from next year with the coming November 27 by elections set to redefine the political ozone or temperature in the build up to 2027.