Kisumu Senator Fred Outa has asked for forgiveness from area residents over his support for Anyang’ Nyong’o’s gubernatorial bid in 2017.
Outa admitted before a crowd at the middle of Kisumu City that he regrets his decision which he said led to a governance mess in the county.
Outa was one of the lead campaigners of the 2017 ‘Team Kali’ lineup which saw him vouch for Nyong’o as Governor and himself as Senator.
In a bid to unseat the pioneer Governor Jack Ranguma through all means, the team rooted for the declaration of the ODM primaries result at Thurdibuoro in Nyakach, about 50 kilometres away from Lions High School which had been gazzetted as the county tallying centre.
Ranguma petitioned against the results but the ODM party stood with the Team Kali, forcing Ranguma to ditch the party and seek reelection on an independent ticket, which he lost to Nyong’o.
And on Friday, February 18, Outa came out openly to seek for forgiveness, saying his move was a mistake, and which he will not repeat in 2022.
“I have come before you as your Senator, that in 2017 I presented to you Nyong’o who had promised to transform Kisumu. I have placed myself on the cross to ask for forgiveness from you for bringing the wrong person,” said Outa.
Outa has since reconciled with Ranguma, and has joined hands with the former Governor, former Speaker Onyango Oloo and former East Africa Community Chief Administrative Secretary Ken Obura in a bid to unseat Nyong’o.
And in what looks like a prediction of the repeat of 2017 primaries mess, the team of four has endorsed Obura to face Nyong’o during the ODM primaries in April, but with a secret card to unleash another candidate to face the incumbent on August 9, should Thurdibuoro-like declaration reoccur.
“You all know how we came in (ODM primaries). We declared results at Thurdibuoro, and we will not go back there. We have Obura as Plan A, and if by any chance there is a repeat of Thurdibuoro, we will lock this county until Nyong’o goes home. But if he slips our hands, then we have Plan B,” said Outa.
“Forgiveness is Godly, and I have forgiven him (Outa) too so that we start a fresh,” said Ranguma.
But in a quick rejoinder, Director of Communication at Kisumu County Government Alois Ager dismissed Outa’s assertions, terming the Senator immoral.
“It is immoral and despicable, the height of hypocrisy, for one to on one hand say that a position he has held for five years and eaten from and continue to eat from was stolen,” read Ager’s response in part.
It went on; “If he indeed he has seen the light on his way to Damascus, let him resign from his position and the party instead of relieving himself on the plate he is eating from. And if indeed it’s true that he is benefiting from a stolen position then he is a thief who does not deserve to sit anywhere near public service.”