Governor Barasa gets down to work as CoG fetes him
Governor Fernandes Barasa (left) and his predecessor Wycliffe Oparanya on the day the county chief was sworn in at Bukhungu stadium.
Barely three days after he was sworn in as the second governor of Kakamega, Mr Fernandes Barasa added another feather to his cap by clinching a key position with the Council of Governors CoG).
The former Ketraco managing director will chair the Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs Committee of CoG.
His election to the position has boosted his profile after he succeeded Wycliffe Oparanya, the county’s first governor, who is credited with transforming the region’s infrastructure and improving services for residents.
When Mr Barasa announced his decision to run for governor, many wrote him off as a political novice who would face a rough time trying to navigate Kakamega’s unpredictable political terrain.
At one point in the campaigns, former senator Cleophas Malala appeared set to easily clinch the governor’s seat.
But Mr Barasa’s sustained momentum in the campaigns and his calm disposition carried the day.
Voters picked Mr Barasa, who was fresh from the corporate world and boasted impeccable financial management credentials.
The governor’s race was a contest between the promise of a youthful and vibrant leadership that Mr Malala promised and the experience of a tested corporate manager who had quit his plum position to offer himself for a political seat back home.
Mr Barasa has promised to build on the foundation set by Mr Oparanya and ensure that all the projects he started are completed. He also wants to improve health services and infrastructure in order to attract investors.
The incomplete projects include phase two of the Bukhungu stadium, Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital, a proposed tea factory in Shinyalu, Kakamega East sub-county, and a milk processing plant in Malava town.
There are Level Four hospitals that need to be rehabilitated and equipped to improve services. The health facilities include Matungu and Butere sub-county hospitals and those in Shamakubu in Shinyalu.
As Mr Barasa prepares to settle down for the task ahead, expectations are high among residents of Kakamega who would like to see services up and running and improvements in the management of the county’s affairs.
Anti-graft campaign
Governor Barasa has pledged to tackle corruption in his administration and crack down on cartels that he accused of stifling health services.
Residents will be closely watching if the new governor will keep his promises to sustain the momentum of transforming Kakamega into an economic hub in the Western region.
The performance of Mr Barasa as county chief will be in the spotlight given his new role at the GoG.
He is expected to pick a team that will complement his vision and ensure that services and other operations have a positive impact on communities in the 12 sub-counties.
During Mr Barasa’s swearing-in on Thursday last week, Mr Oparanya received accolades over his development record that led to the county being ranked among the best-performing.
Leaders who attended the inauguration at the Bukhungu stadium showered the former Council of Governors chairman with praises as he handed over the instruments of power to his successor.
“Out of the 47 counties, Kakamega has been the best-performing county in terms of development,” said Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
“I salute Mr Oparanya for laying the foundation stone and challenge Mr Barasa to emulate the same and take Kakamega to the next level.”
Mr Oparanya was first elected governor on March 4, 2013 and was reelected for his second and last term on August 8, 2017.
He prided himself on laying the foundations for the county when there were no structures or guidelines on what to do.
“I took over as the first steward of devolution without any guideline about what the county management was,” he said at Bukhungu stadium on Thursday.
“But my experience in the national government, where I served as the minister of Planning, assisted me to know what to do. Today, we are receiving accolades and visitors who come to learn and adopt our devolution move.”
For Mr Barasa, the task ahead in the county and at the CoG is monumental as he attempts to fit into the shoes of his predecessor in his first term in office.
Among other functions, the CoG Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs Committee deals with public finance, including reviewing and monitoring policy and legislation on revenue sharing, budget policy statements, the revenue sharing formula, division of revenue bills and county allocation of revenue bills.
The committee also advises the CoG on legislative amendments and intervention areas on sectoral matters such as amendments to the Public Finance Act, Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and County Governments Public Finance Management (PFM) regulations.
