This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
Onyango Oloo, the Speaker of Kisumu County Assembly, was arrested on allegations related to a Sh4.1 billion tender deal. The development is expected to have a significant impact on local politics in Kisumu, particularly as ward representatives resume their sessions on Tuesday after a long recess.
Mr. Oloo has been a key figure in national politics since joining the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in 2017. He has been instrumental in uniting Members of County Assembly (MCAs) at the county assembly, and his charismatic leadership style has brought calm to the assembly.
However, his arrest has raised concerns about the potential impact on the assembly's unity. An MCA, who wished to remain anonymous, stated, “The speaker has been an integral figure in uniting the House and we are just waiting to see if the problems he has to deal with will affect the assembly.”
Mr. Oloo's influence extends beyond the county assembly, as he was also a contender for the Kisumu Central parliamentary seat in the last elections. Despite losing to Fred Ouda, he is among the individuals tipped to make a comeback in 2022.
His arrest comes at a time when Governor Anyang' Nyong'o has rejected amendments made by the county assembly to the budget, further exacerbating the budget-making process crisis. In recent months, Mr. Oloo has mobilized MCAs to push for the construction of new debating chambers and a new House for the speaker, following the administration's failure to allocate funds for the projects in its initial budget proposals.
Yesterday, some MCAs and the executive downplayed the impact of Mr. Oloo's arrest, stating that assembly operations would not be affected. County Director of Communication Aloyce Ager noted, “The speaker does not dictate the things happening at the assembly and is only like a referee. The MCAs will do what they need to do.”
