The war between Rigoma Ward Member of County Assembly Nyambega Gisesa and Simba Arati over the Keroka town boundary row has gone a notch higher after the MCA threatened to sue the Kisii Governor for defamation.
Gisesa, a first time MCA who has been a thorn in the flesh of Arati for the last few months since he successfully filed a suit declaring Keroka town as part of Nyamira wants to take the governor to court for claiming that he has an affair with the Keroka Deputy County Commissioner (DCC).
According to Gisesa, the governor made the claims on April 5 at a public gathering in Kisii. Gisesa, a journalist turned fast rising politician is married and has two children.
“I know there is a problem at Keroka. Keroka, I want to address it that the judge in court gave us a Ruling. Myself and my counterpart met, we discussed and we agreed we were to form a committee of five people from Kisii and Nyamira to look into the issues of Keroka. But it is unfortunate, there is an MCA from Nyamira who is inciting wananchi in Keroka to fight. We will not accept……… I’m told there’s a DC, a woman from Nyamira, who is a girlfriend of that MCA. She is the one who is moving around putting police vehicles,” Gisesa has quoted the governor as having said these words in a demand letter sent by his lawyers, Oira and Bosire Advocates.
“That lady came for administrative work. Kama amekuja amepata mwanaume ambaye ni MCA waende wakae Nyumbani kwao. (if she came and found a man who is an MCA let them go and stay at their home) She cannot use that proximity to cause chaos at Keroka. Wanaenda wanakaa chini na huyo muungwana wanapanga, ‘wewe pitisha gari ya OCPD tangaza hapo watie wasiwasi’ ……. (She goes and conspires with that gentleman to use the OCPD’s vehicle to announce and cause anxiety),” the governor is further quoted as saying.
According to Gisesa, Arati’s claims imply that he “is adulterous and unfaithful to his wife, a thug, corrupt and exploitative of whatever links you were insinuating he has with the alleged DC to obstruct justice and reign terror on the people of Keroka.”
Gisesa’s threat to sue governor Arati comes just days after a mysterios fire razed down a number of stalls in Keroka town. Keroka, the second largest town in Gusii region after Kisii town, has been a bone of contention with both Kisii and Nyamira county governments claiming ownership.
In February, the Environment and Lands Court declared that Keroka town is geographically part of Nyamira.
