LONGANYAPUO CHAIRS DUD MEET AS GUV, MPS KEEP DISTANCE

Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo’s move to stamp his authority as the chair of the local county development board started on a sour note when Governor Simon Kachapin and all MPs boycotted the meeting he had convened which was also characterised by a demonstration by a section of the area residents.

The politician had invited the governor and MPs Mark Lomunakol (Kacheliba), David Pkosing, (Pokot North), Philip Rotino (Sigor) and Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria).

A bitter looking Lonyangapuo chaired the meeting at Public Works in Kapenguria which was attended by  the two reps allied to him and a nominated rep. This was before the High Court judge Isaac Lenaola issued a temporary order to restrain senators from convening board meetings.

At one time, the senator was seen trying to reach out to his political allies on his phone while tapping his head against the chair he was seated on.

The meeting was attended by leader of majority Simon Kalekem and budget and appropriation chairman Peter Lokor.

Lonyangapuo after realising none of the MPs or the governor was coming, called off the meeting and vowed to teach the governor and the MPs a lesson for failing to attend the meeting he had called. “I swear, I’m not going to spare these people including the governor and these (unprintable)  MPs. Let them expect difficult time under my reign. I will never let them sabotage my meetings because it is my constitutional right to control the CDB,” roared an angry Lonyangapuo.

Lonyangapuo was overhead vowing to ensure the governor and MPs regret for absconding the meeting arguing that skipping the forum is a sign of disrespect. “These people think they have won the fight by skipping my meeting. Let them expect the worst in their political ambitions for disobeying,” said the senator.

“I called the meeting to educate members of their roles and it is important that members bring on board ideologies that will help spur development,” said Lonyangapuo.

Responding, the MPs vowed not to attend any meeting convened by Lonyangapuo accusing him of disrespect and belittling them and praised the   High Court for restraining the senators from chairing the CDB.

“We swear we will not attend any meeting convened by Lonyangapuo. Who does he think he is? He has no respect for us and he is belittling us,” charged Pkosing.

Pkosing and Lomunakol accused the senator of being dictatorial and witch-hunter, adding that he has no respect to the governor and other elected leaders as he is out to hijack the county leadership. “Has he become a small king of the Pokots. He does not respect the governor as the chief executive of the county and we will not accommodate his dictatorial tendencies,” said Lomunakol.

Lomunakol claimed that Lonyangapuo is a political lone ranger who is not interested in working with other leaders in the county and vowed. “The MPs, women rep and reps have joined hands to work toward a common goal of alleviating poverty through development while the senator is busy undermining us and insulting us in public.

We will never work with him,” they declared.

Lomunakol showed the press a short message allegedly from Lonyangapuo which read: “Very very stupid boy, the wrong MP my pple of Kacheliba got. You are one term MP, pole sana. You feel bad when I come to assist my pple? You are just an MP and I am senator. Your work and mine are not equal.”

Irate residents led by Sikamoi Raymond streamed to Makutano  and held a demonstration accusing the senator of interfering with the leadership of  Kachapin and having disregard for other  elected  leaders.

Carrying placards, the protestors asked Lonyangapuo to stick to his political responsibility and stop undermining leaders.

Some placards read: “baba while you were away, some people wanted to hijack the leadership. Senators are the enemies of devolution. Let us not kill devolution spare us.” Paul Kamama, the chairman of the Jakalanda Experts Forum challenged Lonyangapuo to fight for more resource to the counties instead of wasting time witch hunting other leaders.

“If Lonyangapuo feels that he is not comfortable with the position of senator, let him resign and come back and plead with Kachapin to give him a job. We are tired of his cold war with other leaders,” lamented Kamama. Godfrey Nyerere praised Kachapin for improving roads and school infrastructure and condemned the senator for frustrating the governor. “We know he has started early campaigns for the gubernatorial seat. What he is doing is sabotaging development and we are not going to allow him go on,” said Musa Tekeresi.