By Wuon Kalam, @NewsMigori
All eyes in Migori county government are trailed at Samuel Otieno Omuga, the powerful Fiance Chief Officer who is synimous with the administration of governor Okoth Obado after a recent re-shuffle.
When Obado’s director of Communication Nicholas Anyuor last week announced the changes made by County Secretary Christopher Rusana the biggest news was dropping of Lands Executive Elizabeth Ochaye.
READ ALSO: (FULL LIST) Obado shuffles his cabinet, waziri Elizabeth Ochaye dropped- again
Under the radar, and want escaped journalists and members of the public who accesssed the full list was the re-shuffe of Omuga from the lucrative Chief Officer Finance and Economic Planning to the lean Enviroment and Disaster Management docket.
Omuga was replaced by Roselyne Otieno, wife of former Sony MD Bernard Otieno a move seen as a clear demotion and a move to kick him from circle of power.
An earlier attempt by Rusana to re-shuffle Omuga, a man they never see eye-to-eye, ended up with a court petition (Elaborated in the story below).
“It was a grand shocker, the news was bigger that Ochaye’s exist. Omuga as Obado’s brother in law as he is related to wife Hellen Obado has held fiat the purse strings of the governor’s administration,” member of Obado’s staff told Migori News.
READ ALSO: Life goes on, i thank Obado for serving in his cabinet- Waziri Ochaye
Elders and members from Suna clan, especially Kadika sub-clan where Obado’s wife hail from are said to have unsuccesfuly sort help from the governor to rescind the move.
So powerful has been Omuga that he has constantly dictated payment of contractors and per diems in the county staff.
“His decisions were final. I once had to seek the address of the governor all the way to Nairobi, for him to call him to facilitate payment. He is the only man I know who could give Obado missed calls and have other parties, especially governor in-laws, trace him to pick calls,” contractor said.
In 2018, under petition 63 and before Justice Mathews Nduma of Empoyment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu, Omuga sued the Migori Public Service Board, Migori County Secretary (read Rusana) and a Fredrick Waudi Jullu as first respondent, second respondent and interested part respectively.
The move was against interdiction insisting he was “an appointee of the office of the Governor with the approval of the County Assembly,” and being “a member of County Executive Committee can only be removed from service by the Governor and/or by a member of County Assembly in a procedure,” under Section 40 of County government Act.
On Monday, Omuga stayed put in his old office and while some insist the transition period is still on for those reshuffled to hand over more is waited to be seen on the way forward.
Omuga has been close to Obado and have been appearing before the EACC, senate public accounts committee and other government agencies to reply to queries over use of devolved funds.
