Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho seem to have more in common than just their love for flashy designer wear.
The two-county heads also share an impressive performance scorecard, according to Kenyans, who have nominated them for the Governor of the Year prize in tonight’s Mashujaa Awards 2019.
Governor Sonko’s list of achievements includes improvement of healthcare services in Nairobi, Pumwani Maternity Hospital being the highlight.
The Governor, after paying an impromptu visit to the facility, embarked on refurbishing the hospital and giving it a new look, much to the delight of city mothers, who were previously forced to give birth under inhumane conditions.
The Governor has also been on the front line of enforcing reforms at City Hall, cracking down on corrupt officials and politicians at the Nairobi County Assembly.
Currently, Sonko is engaged in a land-grabbing cartel crackdown, that has seen him rub top raked government bodies, such as the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) the wrong way.
On his part, Governor Joho has instituted commendable health reforms in Mombasa County, revitalizing the Coast General Hospital into a world-class service delivery institution. The Governor has also set up dozens of satellite clinics at grass root levels, to improve access to healthcare for individuals in remote areas of the Coastal county.
Security in the tourism hub of Kenya has also greatly improved since Joho came into office.
Currently, the flamboyant politician is tackling the garbage disposal menace in Mombasa, seeking alternative ways to rehabilitate infamous areas, such as the Kibarani Dumping Site, into habitable spaces.
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua is also on the list, owing to his outstanding infrastructural delivery on the once bland Machakos County, that is fast approaching the advanced metropolitan status of neighbouring Nairobi County.
Kenya’s political darling, Professor Kivutha Kibwana, also made it to the top 5 finalists in the awards.
Governor Kibwana, heading Makueni County, is a force to reckon with, due to the all-round nature of developments that he has instituted in the County.
Professor Kibwana is renowned for setting up state of the art facilities at surprisingly low costs, a factor that augers well with over-burdened taxpayers.
Among Kibwana’s top achievements so far are the setting up of a fruits processing plant, which is beneficial to the Makueni electorate, since due to the dry climatic conditions in the Eastern Kenya County, fruit farming is one of the few thriving farming activities.
Kibwana is also famous for setting up the Kikima Dairy Plant, which processes the Makueni Fresh milk brand.
In December 2018, Governor Kibwana unveiled a 200-bed ultra-modern hospital at Wote, dedicated to the provision of mother and child health services.
Surprisingly, the hospital was set up using only Ksh135 million, a fact that excited Kenyans so much, that they vowed to vote in Kibwana as the next President, with or without his will.
West Pokot Governor, John Lonyangopuo has also been recognized for his success in turning around the county, which before his tenure was dreaded for its notorious cattle rustling battles, into a safe haven for the dominant Pokot pastoral community.
The Governor also stands out for his strides in the health sector, especially in terms of maternal health.
In November, he was honoured with the Saving Mothers Service Award in Newyork, for his administration’s impact on service delivery at the Kapenguria County Referral Hospital.
