It was jubilation and fanfare as residents welcomed the opening of a new administrative headquarters building located in Kombewa Municipality, Seme Sub-County, Kisumu County.
Nyanza Regional Commissioner,Flora Mworoa, said that the magnificent state-of-the-art building will offer a conducive environment for government officers to diligently serve the people in good offices.
“This should give our officers an impetus to serve even better. Even you people love it when you are served in good offices. It’s always unsatisfactory to be served in a funny office like a mabati (aluminium) building where you compete for space with other businesses,’’ Mworoa said.
She expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the national government for the gesture and Dr. James Nyikal, Seme Member of Parliament (MP), for the fruitful completion.
The building will also house the Sub-County Treasury among other departmental offices as the government strives to efficiently bring its services closer to the people.
While stressing a continued unitary approach between both tiers of government (national and county), Ms. Mworoa emphasised that we all serve the same people and we must work hard towards their betterment.
Relatedly, she called upon the area residents to earnestly work together with the law enforcement officers to solve insecurity. The existence of adequate security, Mworoa points out, leads to the full realisation of much-needed socio-economic growth.
“We must support our security agencies so that we can know who these criminals are. Where do they come from? Maybe some of them don’t come from here but from the neighbouring sub-counties. In this way, lawbreakers will be easily identified and brought to book,’’ she stressed, noting that her office will continue to work closely with the Deputy County Commissioner and liaise with the security committees to deal with the insecurity menace once and for all.
The Nyanza region boss also castigated some Beach Management Units (BMUs) for turning into cartels that want to terrorise people and take the law into their own hands. She advised them to serve the interests of the people who elected them.
“I don’t want to continue receiving complaints all the time about the BMUs. We want their leadership to liaise with my office to root out criminals. We want to give our fishermen a conducive environment to carry out their fishing activities,’’ she urged.
On illicit brews, Mworoa praised the two chiefs who have completely eradicated it in their area. She warned of stern actions against the public officers who collude with the brewers and compromise the government’s effort to desist forthwith.
The residents were informed of the continued ban on Disco Matangas (funeral discos), as they are one of the hotspots where young and vulnerable girls fall victim to early pregnancies.
“Every month within the Nyanza region, over 80 cases of defilement are reported to the police. There are some which go unreported because very young children are defiled by their biological parents,’’ she revealed.
Acknowledging land as one of the greatest impediments to building new offices, Mworoa further lauded Dr. Nyikal for helping in the purchase of a five-acre piece of land whose title is in the name of the police. It will be set up, designed, and built as a Police Division to avoid confusion.
Dr.Nyikal led the area residents in tabling a list of development projects they wish to be undertaken by the national government.
They have requested a New Judicial Court to reduce legal traffic to Maseno, Land Registry, Office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and improve bitumen standards on the Bodi-Kombewa and Holo-Magwar roads in Seme.
“Let us all work together because if we engage in politics all the time, we won’t carry out development projects like this one. Politics is nasty for development,’’ he reiterated.
The colourful ceremony was also graced by Ms. Beverly Onkwoba, Secretary of National Administration in the Ministry of Interior Security and Coordination, Seme Deputy County Commissioner Ms. Elizabeth, Seme East Ward Area MCA Seth Okoth, Luo Council of Elders (Seme Ker Ochieng oko), and religious leaders, among other guests.
“The Ministry is highly discussing the proposed subdivision to rightly address the current scenario whereby Seme is having one sub-county, one division, and one location,’’ said Ms. Onkwoba, who represented Permanent Secretary (PS) Raymond Omollo.
We are glad that we had a fruitful meeting with the area leaders and were enlightened on the issues which are hindering the speedy and closer service delivery to the people. In addition, she urged the leaders to go around the sub-county and institutions like primary schools to mentor the young girls and protect the young boys. The State Department is keen on addressing the vices in society like illicit brews.
“We are glad that we have attained 98 per cent transition to Form One in this region. I urge all the stakeholders to ensure that the children who are remaining at home are taken to school. Helping sometimes goes beyond the call of duty as circumstances force us to pay school fees to the needy students,’’ Mworoa observed.
By Rolex Omondi
