Newly crowned Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani and her Deputy Josphat Chirema Sunday held a thanksgiving party at Mavirivitini Primary school grounds in Mwavumbo ward of Msambweni Sub County.
The newly inaugurated Governor expressed gratitude towards the people of Kwale for voting for her during the just concluded August 9 general election.
Governor Achani extended an olive branch to those she competed against and asked them to join hands and work with her team to build Kwale.
Achani who becomes the county’s second governor took the oath of office administered by Mombasa High Court judge lady Justice Olga Sewe before a huge gathering at the Kwale Stadium last week.
The new county boss promised that she will run an administration that will sustain the legacies of former Governor Salim Mvurya and pledged to work for the people.
“I want to call upon all those Kwale people who voted for and those who opposed me that I welcome them on board. Let’s come together now that politics is over,” said Achani, who is the first female coastal Governor.
Achani, who is in her 40s and a mother of two, was elected on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
“This is no time for boasting or gloating but now that I am the governor I want all of us to get back to work and deliver for the people,” she said.
Achani holds a law degree from Moi University and a diploma from the Kenya School of Law. She went to Kingwede Primary School in Msambweni Sub County and Mama Ngina Girls High School in Mombasa.
Before venturing into politics a decade ago she worked as an associate advocate with Maina Njenga and Company Advocates in Mombasa.
She had also served as a legal counsel and programme officer at the Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida-Kenya) Mombasa chapter.
More than 1,500 people attended the thanksgiving party where she promised that projects started by the Mvurya administration will be completed and new ones started.
Former two terms Governor Mvurya also attended the ceremony and thanked Kwale people for electing him and Achani into office twice; in 2013 and 2017.
Mvurya asked residents to support Achani’s administration the way they supported his, so that development will be taken a notch higher.
The former governor also appreciated God for the peace and projects executed in the coastal county through his administration and assured Kwale people better days under the administration of his successor.
Several MCAs-elect and outgoing MCAs attended the ceremony where Achani and her former boss called on competitors and the residents to focus on development now that the political battle was over.
“I will give the new county government all my support, advice and expertise,” said Mvurya.
He said if President-elect Dr. William Ruto is sworn-in and appoints him to a national position he will strive to bring goodies back to Kwale.
Mvurya urged Kenyans to pray for their leaders rather than resorting to criticism soon after elections.
“We are thanking God for the violence-free electoral process in the August elections that produced the various cadres of leaders in the country,” Mvurya added.
By Hussein Abdullahi
