Anxiety has gripped close associates and advisers of Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya over a multi-million personal ranch he is said to be putting up within the county amid accusations of misappropriations of money allocated to improve the living standards of the citizenry.
Weekly Citizen is in possession of a verbatim exchange that points out the worry and consternation amongst Oparanya’s confidants, including two of his ministers over the project after word leaked out that the county had also bought a stalled palatial residential house at Ilesi opposite the weeping stone near Mukumu Boys’ High School belonging to Babetuu Amutavi, a perennial contestant for the Shinyalu parliamentary seat.
Oparanya has set up a bull’s ranch on a 30-acre piece of land in Shinyalu constituency where he also plans to settle with a new family. This has not gone done well with the locals and the residents of Kakamega. Observers say this is to counter Kakamega senator Bonnie Khalwale, whose love for bullfighting is his envy.
Interestingly, insiders have secretly raised concern as it is claimed the money used in this pet project could as well be proceeds from corruption that continue to riddle county government of Kakamega.
In a recorded conversation, a confidant of the governor says the ranch is being bankrolled from proceeds of the controversial Sh200 million meant to pay farmers at Mumias Sugar whose release has been termed as unprocedural that caused anxiety among county residents.
The money, according to MCAs who claim to have been duped into approving a private business company in Mumias to transact, is oiling this and other personal projects.
The source further claims the businessman Patrick Shibutse a recipient of the cash could as well have crafted a fictitious list of sugarcane farmers to dupe roving eyes that he had genuine farmers to pay from the money released from the county government.
What is worrying Oparanya’s executives and advisers is that these many scandals could make it difficult to sell Oparanya in the next elections putting in mind that their offices are political.
“We have no guarantee with these scandals that Oparanya just brushes aside and with cheap MCAs, our job security is not guaranteed as executives in this government,” said a top executive.
Oparanya is also facing a court challenge over his election in the after Marbel Muruli went to court to challenge his election as governor of Kakamega.
Advisers in Oparanya’s office are blaming him for being beyond advice. “The guy is erratic and wakes up with ideas that none of us can change despite that we need to advice him and we are blamed for not advising him,” said a confidant who sought to remain anonymous.
Weekly Citizen is informed that last week, the three MCAs played a big role in the cover-up of the Sh200 million Mumias Sugar saga including forging names of non-existent beneficiaries of the colossal amount and threatening critics of the syndicate that is likely to spell doom for the governor.
Businessmen led by ODM youth leader Rashid Mouhammed have not spared the county government either. They have through a civil, Society Bunge La Haki, Usawa na Maendeleo held meetings in the Mumias Sugar belt on the Sh200 million misappropriation by Oparanya that has divided the county MCAs.
Businessmen led by Mike Osundwa have demanded that the governor and all elected MPs including Benjamin Washiali, should explain their role in the collapse of Mumias Sugar Company.
Farmers who have held meetings in Mumias, Matungu, Shianda, Butere and Khwisero want for civil proceedings against what is termed as theft by the county government led by Governor Oparanya.
Governor Oparanya has dismissed allegations of thievery in his government, terming criticism against him as cheap propaganda, something that has not gone down well with his own lieutenants.
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