This archive report was first published on 21 November 2019.
Francis Ominde, the embattled Vihiga county secretary, has been appointed as the chief executive officer of the Council of Governors, effective immediately.
According to a copy of the employment letter signed by CoG chairman and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Ominde was chosen after a vigorous recruitment process.
He takes over from Jackyne Omugeni, who has quit for greener pastures, and will be based at the CoG headquarters in Westlands, Nairobi.
Sources close to the matter revealed that Ominde will soon quit as the Vihiga CS, ending his long battle with Governor Wilber Ottichilo and county pointman Noah Okaya.
However, the new development has sent shockwaves to Governor Ottichilo, who made frantic efforts to stop Ominde's appointment at the CoG.
It is alleged that Ottichilo feared Ominde would use the position to sabotage him and eventually scuttle his bid to defend the gubernatorial seat in the 2022 general elections.
“Ottichilo approached Oparanya to have the appointment changed but the chairman rejected saying that Ominde was the best candidate to take over from Omugeni because of his vast experience in the civil service,” said a source.
When contacted for comment, Ominde confirmed that he has landed the job but denied fears that he will use the position to bring Ottichilo down.
“Tayari Ottichilo amekwisha…how do you fight a person who is helpless? It’s like killing a dead lion. He has nothing left to hang on,” said Ominde.
