Former renowned and respected banker, Hon. Joseck Mikaye, a resident of Bokeira, Nyamonge, has a message for the people of Bokeira. If he becomes the next MCA, his first job will be to heal and unite the five houses of Bokeira from the deep divisions affecting them. Speaking to a group of youths and elders across Bokeira, Hon. Joseck Mikaye said the ward is broken, not just politically, but also emotionally and economically.
According to him, leaders have misled the people of Bokeira, especially youths, for years with empty promises, drama, and fake shows of empowerment that are nowhere to be seen. “If given the opportunity, my number one priority will be to bring all youths of Bokeira together, get them employment, join others in various registered groups for economic empowerment, fight against drug menace, work on road maintenance, ensure the PWDs, orphans, and elderly are well taken care of,” Joseck Mikaye said.
The divisions witnessed in Bokeira are hurting its residents, and it’s time to move forward as a team for prosperity. “We are suffering as Bokeira, and for the last 30 years, Bokeira has nothing to be proud of,” Joseck Mikaye lamented. He expressed frustration with the current political theatrics in Nyamira County, where leaders drive high-end machines, visit big resort hotels, and offer minimal handouts during their visits to the ward while ignoring serious issues like unemployment, fixing ailing dispensaries, and corruption, among many other aspects.
“Our residents of Bokeira are not asking for miracles. They just want honesty, dignity, and leaders they can trust,” added Hon. Joseck, a current frontrunner in the Bokeira MCA’s race. Hon. Joseck believes that Bokeira’s problems are not complex. In his words, “It’s about being faithful, focused, and putting the interests of the great people of Bokeira first.” If elected, he promised to make Bokeira a ward of choice by empowering the youths and residents of Bokeira by creating a fairer system that will benefit all the five houses of Bokeira.
The former banker also defended hardworking farmers and youths who are often insulted or ignored in favor of county appointees with no qualifications. “Let’s ensure employment in Nyamira is based on merit, not tribe or connections. Let’s be open to all, and each sub-clan of Bokeira should get its fair share,” he said. Joseck also took a swipe at county policies that hurt local farmers. “Let’s genuinely support our farmers instead of cheating them with allocations of ghost chicks, fertilizers, and farming loans that don’t exist.”
Among his competitors are the former MCA, whom the residents term as weak and retired after serving two terms in Bokeira without leaving a lasting legacy. There’s also a former high school teacher and ODM candidate whom the residents see as hostile and fearful, having contested thrice without success. Other contestants are deemed too young and inexperienced, lacking direction. “We need someone who is mature, keen, and focused,” Otenyo Ogendi, a veteran local politician, lamented. “We’ve seen Obogambi Bwabana as the worst, and we need mature people with experience in governance to take charge of Bokeira’s politics.”
He closed his speech with a plea to the residents of Bokeira: “Don’t just give me your vote. Hold me accountable. Let’s fix this ward together.” Hon. Joseck promised to use half of his salary as the next MCA to source employment for youths and empower his residents.