Former Gomba District chairperson Geoffrey Kiviri has officially handed over power to the Chief Administrative Officer ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected district chairperson George Abigaba.
On Thursday morning, as preparations for the swearing-in ceremony continued, Kiviri handed over all instruments of authority to the district Chief Administrative Officer, Eswiru Donarth, during a meeting held in his office where he also briefed him on district operations.
Among the items handed over were the Constitution book, the national flag, the district chairperson’s official stamp, vehicle keys and other office instruments.
While addressing officials present, Kiviri reflected on his two terms in office, highlighting achievements and challenges encountered during his leadership.
“I thank God that during my two terms as district chairperson, a lot was achieved. Wherever you move in the sub-counties, there is something we worked on. In places where there were no school structures, you will at least find a health facility or a road,” Kiviri said.
He also noted that he invested heavily in education support through bursaries for students across the district.
“In education, I also made contributions. We have children across the district studying on bursaries I secured and many other initiatives. Some people appreciated my work and even named roads after me,” he added.
Kiviri commended district technical staff, councillors and other leaders for the cooperation they offered during his tenure.
“What I achieved was not through my efforts alone. During these two terms, I worked with many people. I thank the district technical team for the cooperation that enabled us to move forward smoothly. The good working relationship with my councillors also helped me greatly,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that leadership in Gomba was not without difficulties.
“Gomba is not an easy district to lead, especially because coordination among leaders is not always good. The district is full of divisions, competition and people wanting to prove they know better than others. Because of that, many initiatives ended up being frustrated,” Kiviri noted.
“Gomba has many influential people and even someone you may think is ordinary could have powerful connections. If you come in aggressively, the district can become difficult to manage,” he added.
In his final remarks, Kiviri advised Abigaba to prioritise unity and cooperation with councillors, technical staff and all stakeholders in the district.
“My advice to Chairperson Abigaba is to work with everyone he has found at the district, including technical staff, councillors and all influential stakeholders. That is the only way he will succeed. But if he approaches people with pride, leadership will become difficult for him,” he said.
After the handover ceremony, Kiviri officially vacated the office ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the incoming chairperson.
