By Bwire Mugolla

Despite Western Kenya leaning towards the Opposition in the last two elections, the region seem to always find favour with governments. From the times of Kenyatta One through Moi and Kibaki, the region has always been at the centre. But President Uhuru Kenyatta has been exceedingly generous with the Mulembe nation. Sample this:

Having served as the powerful minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs during the Mwai Kibaki regime, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa miscalculated and found himself out of elective politics in 2013.

But Uhuru appointed him the Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary in 2015 before elevating him to the powerful Devolution docket after the 2017 elections.

Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe was last year surprisingly appointed the Majority Whip in the National Assembly during a Jubilee Party Parliamentary group meeting chaired by the president.

Yet, the appointment of these two is just a fraction of moves that have underlined Uhuru’s kindness and determination to unite the country by accommodating and working closely with perceived political opponents.

Throughout his tenure, the president has worked with Amina Mohamed, who has emerged as one of his most trusted ministers. Born and bred in Kakamega county, Amina served as Kenya’s CS for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2017 before she was moved to the Ministry of Education and later to her current docket, Sports.

Uhuru also appointed Judy Wakhungu as Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources in 2013. She held the position until 2018 when she was appointed Kenya’s ambassador to France.

Former Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba was in 2018 appointed Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while former Kamusinga High School Principal Simon Nabukwesi was in February 2020 appointed as the Principal Secretary, State Department of University Education and Research.

Before the appointment, Uhuru had retained Nabukwesi as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Canada and Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extra-ordinary to Cuba. Dr George Masafu was also picked as Kenya’s ambassador to the DRC.

Western Kenya has also been greatly considered when it comes to appointments to state departments.

Former minister Musikari Kombo was appointed the Water Service Trust Fund (WSTF) chairperson while in 2016 ex-Bumula MP Wakoli Bifwoli was appointed as non-executive chairperson of the Agricultural Development Corporation Board to replace the late Soita Shitanda, also from western.

There was uproar when Uhuru appointed former vice president Moody Awori to chair the Sports Funds Board on the eve of his 91^st birthday.

In 2014, the president appointed former senior military official, Maj-Gen(rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa, as Kenya’s new Director of Immigration.

In 2019, Kihalangwa was elevated to Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Defence before he was moved to the Public Works docket.

Former Rift Valley regional coordinator Wanyama Musiambo was appointed Deputy Head of Public Service under the Office of the President. Musiambo, who hails from Bungoma county, was exemplary in helping Uhuru combat illicit trade in the country.

Further, it’s worth noting that under Uhuru’s administration, Kenya’s Communication Authority (CA) was under the controversial Bungoma-born IT expert Francis Wangusi, whose two-term stint ended early this year.

Long-serving Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has in recent years become Uhuru’s close confidant, ardent supporter and fiercest defender. Atwoli has emerged as the unlikely kingmaker in the race to succeed Uhuru, a privilege for western Kenya.

In apparent reciprocation to Uhuru’s magnanimity, Luhya political bigwigs such as ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula have rallied behind the president defended against attacks from his antagonistic deputy, William Ruto.

The president’s love for Mulembe nation is not limited to appointments. For the last nine years he has been in office, Uhuru has launched and commissioned development projects worth billions of shillings in Western Kenya.

Last month, Uhuru met all the five governors from the region and agreed on the implementation of more key projects before 2022.

Top on the agenda was the revival and stabilisation of Mumias Sugar factory, which has been struggling financially for close to a decade now. The president also agreed to inject capital into Nzoia Sugar Factory to stabilize its operations.

Also under consideration are proposals for construction of Granite factory in Vihiga, construction of Matulo airstrip in Webuye, construction of a gold refinery in Ikolomani and the upgrading of health facilities across the region.

Uhuru is further expected to commission the construction of the Lurambi-Navakholo-Bungoma road and upgrade the historic Bukhungu stadium.

Already, the Jubilee government has accomplished major road construction projects in Western region. They include the 98km Kisumu – Kakamega – Webuye road and the 58km Webuye – Kitale road.

Uhuru’s administration also fulfilled the promise of tarmacking the elusive Chwele-Lwakhakha road, which previous regimes had ignored despite pressure from local leaders to have it tarmacked.

The road opens up Chwele town, Kenya’s second-largest open-air market dealing in fresh farm produce, to other markets in Uganda and beyond.

The 62km Webuye-Malaba road is under construction, same as the 60km Eldoret-Webuye road.

The Kaburengu interchange has been completed and plans are underway to put up stalls for traders who have been suffering losses due to perennial road accidents.

It could be the “peaceful” nature of the Western region, just mere luck or, most probably, Uhuru just has a soft spot for Western.

Mr Mugolla is a public policy analyst. [email protected]