Cooperatives and SMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has dismissed claims of a political rift between him and Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa.
In an interview on Monday, September 22, the CS made it clear that he has no reason to engage in rivalry at the county level.
Oparanya, who previously served as Kakamega governor, clarified that his focus is now on his national duties as a Cabinet Secretary.
“What is there for me to be involved with in Kakamega? I have enough work as a Cabinet Secretary. I have nothing to do in Kakamega.
“There is no fallout. I have no business with him; we are not rivals. There is nothing I can go to him for, as long as he is doing development for the people of Kakamega,” he said.
This comes after the Kakamega Governor urged President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga to restrain Oparanya from engaging in county and party politics.
Speaking during a church service on Sunday, September 14, Barasa claimed that the CS has been using local leaders, such as Members of Parliament, to express his dissatisfaction with his current cabinet position to the president.
According to the governor, the CS should focus on serving the country through his position, and if he fails to deliver as expected, the president should consider dismissing him from his position.
“This CS thinks that every day he will be coming here to disturb us. We are tired now, and we want to urge the president that he should remove this burden. If he fails to work because there is no need to use a seat that was meant to unite us to destroy us,” the governor stated.
According to Barasa, the CS’s conduct has not only led to him embarrassing himself but has also led to a political shake-up within the county and the ODM party
“You were given a job through the Broad-Based Government so that you may unite the whole of the Western Region, but because he is not happy with his job, he is sending some MPs to tell the president that he wants to be the Treasury CS,” Barasa claimed.
“I want to tell the president that he must call CS Oparanya to order because here in Kakamega, we are on the ground; you cannot be coming here and interfering also with our local politics because that is embarrassing,” he added.
