Journalist Dennis Onsarigo resigns as County Chief of Staff; Here’s why

Dennis Onsarigo, a former communication assistant to Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, has resigned from a significant role at the county government of Nyamira.

Onsarigo resigned as Governor Amos Nyaribo’s chief of staff, according to a resignation letter obtained by mkenyaleo.co.ke.

Onsarigo cited frustrations from other senior county staff, which made it difficult for him to effectively execute his work.

He disclosed that he made several attempts to have an audience with the governor to explain issues affecting service delivery in the county, but he was not granted an opportunity.

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He claimed his office was sabotaged by some senior officers who, at times, subjected the governor to embarrassment when he was forced to wait at a petrol station for his official car to be fuelled.

Onsasirgo also noted that his efforts to establish a modern washroom at the Office of the Governor did not materialise.

Here is Dennis Onsarigo’s resignation letter:

“Dear Governor, It is with a heavy heart that I tender my resignation from the position of Chief of Staff office of the Governor Nyamira County. Serving in this capacity has been a privilege, and it is not without considerable introspection and disappointment that I make this decision.

I joined this administration with a genuine passion for public service and an unwavering belief in your vision for the great Nyamira County. However, over the course of my tenure, I have encountered what would best be described as a deliberate strategy that has imposed itself in the way of service delivery and impeded our ability to fully realize our vision.

As you may be aware, I made several attempts- more than six times- to seek audience with you to discuss an elaborate plan on how best the office of the chief staff would function in the execution of your manifesto while supporting other departments in aligning their short and long plans largely drawing their strengths from the mother manifesto, unfortunately this did not materialize.

In the vision I had shared with you, I had envisioned an end to the uncomfortable and embarrassing instances where my governor was forced to stop at a petrol station waiting for his official vehicle to be fuelled by an accounting officer who could not be reached on phone despite your never-ending steps of reprimanding of the officer. This stands out as perhaps the most agonizing and low moment I experienced as your Chief of Staff.

It is unfortunate that my office never had a chance to put a complete stop, the several instances where your security team including the drivers could go for months without their allowances -still do- despite the controller of budget releasing the monies in their name but it ended up not getting paid.

It is extremely painful as well, that a plan to put in place measures aimed at making your personal comfort and security my utmost priority became a cropper; plans including and not limited to: making available for your use an alternative vehicle, an extra bodyguard – because you have only been operating with one for more than five months, fatigue not withstanding- fuel cards and resources for a structured servicing and fuelling failed dramatically in what appeared to be an internally engineered and okayed strategy where money to be accrued from these services and interventions unfortunately placed your life and comfort at risk. It is regrettable.” Onsarigo said in a letter dated January 10.

Onsarigo added that he had tried in vain to meet with the Nyaribo to talk about allegations of corruption against the governor’s officer.