Hillary Barchok

As new Bomet County Governor Dr. Hillary Barchok sets to assume office on Thursday, his administration is already facing a possible controversy.

On Wednesday, pictures of a brand new high-end vehicle branded ‘GVN036B’ flooded the internet; with questions thereafter arising as to why Dr. Barchok would not use the vehicles left behind by his predecessor, Dr. Joyce Laboso, who succumbed to Cancer at the Nairobi Hospital on July 29, 2019.

The incoming county chief came under sharp criticism with a section of political pundits terming the alleged action to buy new vehicles as extravagance.

However, in a quick rejoinder issued on Thursday, the county government rubbished the claims that it had purchased for Dr. Barchok a new vehicle, adding that it (county) cannot even afford it.

A source revealed to local daily that the county government had merely hired the vehicle for two days to facilitate Dr. Barchok’s Thursday inauguration and movement afterwards.

They are however yet to speak on the whereabouts of county vehicle used by former Governor Dr. Laboso during her tenure, before her demise.

Hillary Barchok will be sworn in as the Bomet governor on Thursday to replace Joyce Laboso who was buried last Saturday.

Barchok faces a daunting task of picking a deputy as pressure mounts that he should pick a woman as his deputy.

The push for a female deputy is from women leaders and some residents.

High ranking individuals in the Jubilee party are keeping an eye on the matter and want Barchok to appoint a woman, not necessarily from the Laboso family.

Among the women likely to take the seat are the county chief of staff Jayne Sigilai, Joyce’s sister Judy Laboso, former Woman Representative Cecilia Ngetich and former senatorial aspirant Stacy Chepkemoi.

Also in the list is the county Education CEC Juliana Yegon, a former principal of Moi Siongiroi Girls’ School. 

Ngetich vied for the Sotik parliamentary seat in 2017 but lost to Dominic Koskei.

The deputy governor’s seat is likely to go to Sotik where Laboso came from for fairness in the sharing available leadership positions at the county.

Chepkemoi is among the 15 nominees picked by Jubilee for East African Legislative Assembly position. She failed to secure the seat.

The 26-year-old Maseno University international relations and diplomacy graduate is a former employee at the county government.

She worked as a resource mobiliser in former governor Isaac Rutto’s administration before quitting to join politics.

She is also the current Bomet youth president.

Sigilai is Laboso’s cousin, but little is known about her.

Before politics, Ngetich served as the principal of a number of schools. In 2009, the Nairobi-based Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa appointed her the director.

Men who had lined up for the position have since chickened out after women put up spirited demands that Barchok should be deputised by a woman.

Former Chepalungu MP Paul Bii and Bomet county assembly speaker Shadrack Rotich are among potential picks.

During the  Laboso’s burial at her Koru matrimonial home in Kisumu on Saturday,  Governors Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) and Charity Ngilu (Kitui) said the only way to ensure that the will of the Bomet people of bestowing confidence in a woman by electing a woman as a governor was to have another woman as a deputy.

Waiguru in her eulogy pointed out that there were many able women, hence the need to set the now vacant position for a woman.

She noted: “I know there are some balancing (act to do) but we humbly request that you choose a woman as your deputy. Pick a woman as a deputy, one from Sotik and preferably choose from her family…look at the extended family of Laboso.” 

Ngilu echoed the same sentiment calling on Barchok to “honour us by giving us a woman” noting they will be watching over it.

 Barchok avoided the talk only saying he will strive to deliver on the wishes of the late governor.

“I will ensure madam governor’s agenda to the people of Bomet is realised,” he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto did not speak on the issue but ODM leader Raila Odinga told Barchok that the position automatically belongs to a woman.

“A woman was a governor and a man was her deputy, now when the woman governor has left the position it is automatic that a woman would become a deputy governor. I don’t think that should be an issue,” he stated.

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