Former Kisumu county chief officer for health and trade, Alphonse Ogik Ouya, has declared his bid for the Kabonyo Kanyagwal Member of County Assembly (MCA) seat, adding fresh competition to what is shaping up to be an early and closely watched political contest.
The businessman becomes the latest aspirant to enter a race that is already attracting several contenders, with local politics expected to revolve around development, flood control and economic opportunities rather than party loyalties alone.
Launching his campaign before representatives from the ward’s 22 polling stations at his home, Ouya promised what he described as issue-based politics centred on improving livelihoods.
“I want to champion practical solutions that transform the lives of the people of Kabonyo Kanyagwal,” he said.
Ouya resigned as Kisumu County Chief Officer for Trade, having previously served as Chief Officer for Health.
He said his experience in county government had exposed him to the development challenges facing the area and equipped him to deliver results if elected.
His campaign agenda includes improving road infrastructure, expanding early childhood education, increasing bursaries for vulnerable students and tackling the perennial flooding that has long disrupted life in the ward.
Flooding remains one of the defining political issues in Kabonyo Kanyagwal and the wider Nyando region.
For decades, communities living along River Nyando have endured perennial floods that destroy crops, sweep away livestock, damage homes and force families from their land whenever heavy rains fall upstream.
The recurring disasters have turned flood mitigation into more than an environmental concern.
It is increasingly becoming a political test for leaders seeking public office, with residents demanding long term solutions rather than emergency relief after every rainy season.
Ouya said he would push for stronger dykes along River Nyando while lobbying for the implementation of the long delayed Koru-Soin multipurpose dam project, which has for years been presented as a lasting answer to flooding in the region.
“The people of Nyando have lived with these floods for far too long. We need permanent interventions that protect lives and livelihoods,” he said.
He also pledged to use his experience in public service and professional networks to attract investment and expand empowerment programmes targeting young people, women and community groups.
Supporters point to his record in the county government, where he served in both the health and trade departments, arguing that his administrative experience gives him an advantage as he seeks elective office for the first time.
But Ouya faces an uphill contest as the incumbent MCA Oiko Peter,a former Kisumu Boys High School bursar seeks to defend the seat, while several other aspirants, including Mbonji Awuor Kanyagwal, Bwanda Kowiti, Peter Kondi, Kapiyo Lee and Aguko, have also declared interest.
With the election still a year away, the contest is already offering an early glimpse of the issues likely to dominate campaigns in Kabonyo Kanyagwal.
Beyond the usual political rhetoric, voters are expected to judge candidates on their ability to address persistent flooding, improve infrastructure, expand access to education and create economic opportunities in a ward where development promises have often outlived election cycles.
Leave a comment