Kisumu Governor, Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o won the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-Africa) East Africa Regional Caucus vice-presidency seat.
Some 70 delegates drawn from the 15 members states of UCLGA East African Region unanimously elected the Kisumu County boss after having received an endorsement from his predecessor, Innocent Umiwana, who said that the governor was the best fit to even be the African President.
“Governor Nyong’o has what it takes to clinch the African Presidency,” said Uwimana.
Uwimana who is the current chairperson of Rwanda Associations of Local Governments Authorities (RAGLA), opted not to be re-elected to support Kenya’s bid for the position.
He vowed to lobby colleagues from other regions to ensure that East Africa wins the presidency at the General Assembly that will be convened in Kisumu during the Africities Summit.
Nyong’o expressed optimism that after Kisumu hosts the summit, other intermediary cities will have the doors open to also play host to such international event.
Also present in the caucus were chairpersons of the country chapters of Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA), a representative of young elected officials of 35 years and below for the network of Young Elected Leaders Officials of Africa (YELO).
Kenya also won the REFELA chairperson of the Election Commission which was taken by Hilda Kwamboka, an MCA from Mombasa County as June Ndegwa from Nairobi County became YELO’s executive committee member. Kirui Chepkwony from Nandi County became a Pan African Council member which is affiliated to Council of Governors (COG) and County Assemblies Forum(CAF).
Kenya’s Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said Kenya joins other member states to urge their delegates to turn up for the first summit to be held in an intermediary city.
“As a country, we join UCLGA in urging delegates from all the member states from the East African region to join us in Kisumu, as UCLGA holds its first summit in an intermediary city,” noted the CS.
The 15 East African Region member states include Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Seychelles, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Djibouti, Madagascar, Sudan, Eritrea, and Comoros.
The caucus was held in Nairobi in preparation for the May 9th Africities Summit which is to be held in Kisumu County.
By Chris Mahandara
