Governor Fernandes Barasa, Oparanya’s hand in election of lawyer James Namatsi election as Kakamega County Assembly Speaker, former speaker got 3 votes

To the extreme, MCAs are known to come up with impeachment motions against the governor in order to cut him to size

By Dennis Avokoyo,Kakamega

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa helped his trusted lieutenant James Wanzala Namatsi to be elected as the second Speaker of Kakamega County Assembly.

“We burnt the midnight oil in lobbying the MCAs from Azimio la Umoja coalition who are the majority to vote for James Namatsi. He was the most favourite  candidate and the MCAs did not disappoint us,”

According to sources close to the governor, Governor Barasa’s predecessor Wycliffe Oparanya wanted Namatsi, a close confidant of the governor who will help him implement his development manifesto with ease.

“We burnt the midnight oil in lobbying the MCAs from Azimio la Umoja coalition who are the majority to vote for James Namatsi. He was the most favourite  candidate and the MCAs did not disappoint us,” said the source

 MCAs across the country are notorious in destabilizing the county leadership by refusing to pass bills until they are ‘nicely talked’ by the governor. To the extreme, they always come with impeachment motions against the governor in order to cut him to size.

Namatsi, an advocate of the High Court, was declared the winner ager garnering 60 votes, while Kennedy Kilwake, the former Majority Leader came a distant second with 26 votes while

 Morris Indakwa Buluma, who was defending the seat received for the third time got a paltry  3 votes.

Bulama has served the County Assembly for two consecutive terms during Governor Oparanya’s administration.

End