Elders in Nyaribari Chache constituency in Kisii county have endorsed veteran journalist and People Daily’s editor-in-chief Eric Obino to vie for the area’s parliamentary seat in the August 9 General Election.

The long-serving journalist pledged to empower women, youth and people living with disabilities to initiate income-generating projects to alleviate poverty.

Obino, who hosted the elders at his Bobaracho residence on Friday, said he had sought the blessings of his wider family to contest the seat.

“I had to consult my mother and wife and they gave me a green light to contest for the seat to help our people. It is not an easy decision. I thank my family for allowing me,” Obino told the elders and residents who thronged his home.

The aspirant who for many years served as managing editor for various publications at the Nation Media Group as an Executive Editor before he shifted in 2018 to Mediamax where he is the Editor-in-Chief (Print), said he is experienced in administration, stressing he will use his experience to address the plight of Nyaribari residents.

Servant leadership

He pledged to offer servant leadership if elected, adding that he will disburse public funds fairly to ensure orphans and students from poor families benefit to foster their education.

“Nyaribari Chache gets Sh30 million bursary every year. The county also has a bursary kitty. It is unfortunate that the majority of orphaned children and those from poor families cannot access the money and are chased from schools,” Obino said.

He said the constituency harbours several institutions of higher learning, the county headquarters, Coffee Research Foundation and a branch of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and Gusii Water and Sanitation Company but residents have not benefited from them.
Obino said he will fight for the institutions to offer jobs to residents, stressing that he will also ensure water and electricity connection to residents.

“We have no leaders to fight for us. We used to have tapped water connected to the area in the 1970s and jointly used it. Nowadays, we see water flowing elsewhere and yet our people have no water,” Obino said.