Oparanya: Kakamega governor betrayed me after I backed his rise to power
By Kenneth Mwenda, September 20, 2025Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has accused Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa of betrayal, saying the man he helped rise to power has now turned against him.
Speaking in Kakamega on Saturday, September 20, 2025, Oparanya linked his recent woes with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to Barasa. He claimed the governor has been forwarding his files to investigators in a scheme to implicate him.
“Hii mambo ya kijana wetu. Mnajua ya kwamba yule alibeba files kupeleka EACC, si mnajua. Na ata kama Oparanya alikuwa mwizi, muangalie ile vitu tulifanya hapa, hiyo miaka yote. Ni kama wana ushaidi, Oparanya nimeiba waende mbele, I don’t fear anybody,” he told residents.
The former Kakamega governor defended his record in office, insisting he had not stolen public money during his ten-year tenure. He argued that his legacy was visible through projects carried out in the county. He further questioned why his name was being dragged into local politics when he had moved on to serve the national government.
Oparanya went on to accuse Barasa of disrespect, recalling how he had played a central role in ensuring his election as governor in 2022. He said he had stood by him even against his own deputy, only to face betrayal later.
“Yaani Oparanya nikufa ndio wewe uendelee kuwa kiongozi. Mimi nilikuwa mbele ya kuona wewe umechaguliwa gavana wa hapa. Kufika huko umenikauka. Ati unaniita majina, ule baba yako alikushika mkono. Shame on you. Hiyo imetosha lakini nasema nimerudi. Watajua Oparanya ni nani,” he declared.
The CS also criticised a group of leaders from Kakamega whom he accused of spreading malice against him. He said some of them frequently travel to meet ODM leader Raila Odinga with claims aimed at tarnishing his name.
“Mimi nimekuwa kwa siasa miaka 25, miaka 25 nimearibu, ati naongea kwa mtu wa miaka miwili, miaka mitatu? I don’t talk about people, don’t talk about me. Na tuna watu wengine hapa Kakamega ambao ni watu wa fitina. Kila saa wanaenda wanachukua tikiti ya ndege, wanaenda kwa Raila kupeleka fitina. Itafika wakati I will name those people. Kuna wanaume watatu na mama mmoja. Ikifika wakati I will name you and I will ashame you,” he warned.
Oparanya’s remarks came a week after Barasa had openly criticised him, accusing the CS of interfering with county politics instead of concentrating on his national duties.
Barasa demands CS discipline
On September 14, Barasa questioned Oparanya’s conduct, saying he appeared unsettled after failing to secure the Treasury docket and was now using MPs to push his personal ambitions.
“Wewe umepewa kazi, umefanyiwa heshima na hii broad-based… kama waziri ili uunganishe wana Kakamega wote na wana Western wote. Lakini kwa sababu hujaridhika na hiyo kazi anatuma wabunge, anawaambia ambia rais mimi ilikuwa nataka kuwa waziri wa fedha,” Barasa said.
The governor, who was recently confirmed as ODM’s county chairperson in Kakamega, asked both President William Ruto and Raila Odinga to rein in Oparanya. He argued that the CS risked embarrassing himself and the party.
“Mimi nataka kuambia rais; you must call your CS Oparanya to order. Na mimi nataka kuambia Raila Odinga, na Ruto, you must call your minister to order,” Barasa said.
The fallout between the two men marks a sharp turn in Kakamega politics. Oparanya had personally endorsed Barasa as his successor in 2022 when he was serving as CEO of KETRACO.
Now, three years later, their relationship has collapsed into open hostility. Oparanya insists he is being unfairly targeted, while Barasa accuses him of undermining local leadership. The public feud has exposed deep cracks in the Orange Democratic Movement in Kakamega, with both men showing no signs of backing down.