Nyando MP and Kisumu county CEC in public brawl over irrigation scheme

By Simon Achola

Chaos disrupted an agricultural function in Kisumu County’s Nyando constituency on Wednesday when the area member of the national assembly Fred Outa was involved in a brawl with the County Executive Officer for Agriculture-Kisumu county Henry Obade.

Obade was angered by Outa’s accusations that the county government had reneged on its promise to provide rice farmers in Ahero irrigation scheme with tractors for a project to mechanize agriculture in the county that is funded by the county and national governments in conjunction with the Japanese government.

A verbal exchange ensued between the two before it degenerated into an ugly physical confrontation.

Contention arose over the 23 tractors recently flagged off in a project jointly funded by the county, national and Japanese governments to mechanize agriculture in the country.

Incessant accusations by the area MP Fred Outa that the county government had failed to pay its part of the deal to enable farmers in Ahero irrigation scheme access the tractors angered Obade.

It did not take long before hell broke loose in the full glare of the Governor Jack Ranguma.

When the dust settled, Ranguma sought to reassure that all is well and that the project will ensure farmers access modern farm equipment and inputs.