Governor Barasa reaches out for truce with Oparanya after months of feuding

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa is seeking to end hostilities with his predecessor Wycliffe Oparanya, after months of squabbling over the management of the county.

It is Oparanya who fronted Barasa as his preferred candidate and vigorously campaigned for him during the 2022 general elections, before the two later fell out.

Their differences came to the fore last month when Barasa, while addressing supporters in Mumias, attacked Oparanya.

Barasa accused Oparanya of interfering with his administration to frustrate his development agenda.

“He must respect the leadership of the day. They are holding night meetings to destabilise the county assembly. Oparanya should come out clear and tell people what seat he wants to go for in 2027. I'm putting these people on notice that from, today we are going to tackle this bare-knuckles,” Barasa said on May 19.

Oparanya fired back.

“I have never held night meetings and if there are, then I will discuss my issues and not Barasa. Barasa should focus on delivering services to the people of Kakamega and stop running away from his own shadow thinking that everyone is fighting him,” the former county boss said.

Barasa has now reached out, seeking a truce.

The Star has learnt that the governor's allies made contact with Oparanya to mend the frosty relationship.

Five senior county officials, among them three CECs paid Oparanya a visit in Nairobi on June 19, seeking his intervention to help steady the county.

Oparanya confirmed meeting the emissaries.

“Yes the delegation came to see me and told me the problems the county government is facing and expressed fear that it could collapse. They asked me to sit down with Barasa and help him with how a government works to overcome the challenges he is facing,” he said on the phone on Tuesday.

“There’s no truce because I have no issue with Barasa apart from the money I put in his campaign that he was to pay. It is him who has been behaving funnily and I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I don’t want to be governor or senator. I am focused on national issues,” the ODM deputy party leader added.

He asked the delegation to tell Barasa to contact him personally.

However, Barasa denied sending his county officers to meet Oparanya.

“I was not aware of the delegation. Those who went there were there on their own accord. If I have a problem with Oparanya, I will call him and speak to him instead of sending him junior officers,” Barasa said.

But the officials told the Star in confidence that the governor was aware of the meeting.

“I don’t want to say that Oparanya who is a father figure to us has differences with the governor but it is true that they have had challenges and that is what informed our being sent to talk to him,” a county executive who was one of the emissaries said.

He said some unnamed players had created a rift between the two leaders, which they were profiting from. 

“As much as we discussed politics, I want to assure you that the two leaders will work together in the 2027 general elections. It doesn’t matter what it will cost,” the official said.

Another member of the delegation said the two agreed to talk. 

“They have not been talking or have been talking at each other and that is why we went to find out where the problem is. The governor said they will talk at their level,” he said.

The same team had met Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula. They asked Savula whether he would run for governorship in 2027.

Savula has been attending public functions but has not revealed his intentions.

The deputy governor confirmed meeting the five,  but declined to discuss the details.