Call for ceasefire after pastor mediating warring factions in Nyamira dies

Nyamira County Governor Amos Nyaribo before the County Public Accounts Committee chaired by Moses Kajwang on March 26, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The effort to reconcile the County Assembly of Nyamira with the Executive suffered set back after the clergyman who was leading the mediation died.

Pastor Joshua Oindi, 82, who was buried Monday at his Magwagwa home, was the Chairman of the Christian ministers who have been leading the Prayers for Peace in Nyamira, an initiative that was purposely steered to mediate peace and reconciliation in the devolved unit.

Pastor Oindi’s death ignited calls for dialogue and a ceasefire among MCAs and the Governor, with leaders calling for an end to the divisions in the Assembly as well as the disharmony within the county leadership.

Governor Amos Nyaribo, Speaker Enock Okero, and his Deputy Abel Mose, who attended the Pastor’s burial at Esanige Grounds in Magwagwa, called for a ceasefire as a way of honouring Oindi for his efforts to bring the politicians together.

“The divisions that we have been witnessing have greatly affected development programs in our county. Pastor Oindi was devoted to our peace and reconciliation, and therefore we should honour him by being agents of the mediation,” Nyaribo said.

Over the last eight months, the Executive and Assembly have been working in disharmony following the failed impeachment of Governor Amos Nyaribo in September last year.

Members of the Assembly wanted to remove Nyaribo from office over allegations of abuse of office and contravention of the Constitution, but he survived after the group that wanted him ousted failed to meet the threshold vote.

Since then, the Assembly has remained divided, with the conflict resulting in the MCAs having two parallel Houses conducting parallel business with each one having a speaker and a clerk.

The Secretary of the prayers team, Dr Charles Ondigo of the Obedience Pentecostal Church of God, said the other preachers who were in the panel will continue with the process of bringing unity and peace in the county as was initially envisaged.

"We accept that our lead pastor has died, but we shall carry on our prayer meetings as a way of interceding for the people," Dr Ondigo said.