By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 22 August 2026 - Kisumu Central MP Dr Joshua Oron has taken his campaign for the Kisumu governorship to the streets, spending much of Saturday walking through the city, engaging traders, hawkers, shoeshiners and ordinary residents in an unusually personal campaign for the county’s top seat.
In a day marked by handshakes, laughter and spontaneous conversations, Oron temporarily abandoned the formal trappings of politics, stopping at trading spots, greeting residents and listening to their concerns about the city and the wider county.
At one point, he even shined shoes as he sought to connect with the people he hopes will ultimately decide whether he succeeds Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o.
Oron said his ambition to become governor was not a recent political calculation but a childhood dream.
“I have always had this dream from my childhood that one day, when I grow up, I would become a governor,” he told residents, seeking what he described as their “promotion” to the county’s top office.
“I am now asking you, the people of Kisumu, to promote me. I have served you as your MP and I believe I am ready for the next responsibility.”
The MP said his administration would not seek to erase Nyong’o’s legacy but would build on it.
“Governor Nyong’o has laid a very strong foundation for Kisumu. I will not come here to destroy what he has built,” Oron said.
“I will follow his development footsteps, make sure the projects he has started are completed as scheduled and then do even more. We must build on what is already there and take Kisumu to another level.”
His street engagement appeared designed to present a different side of the legislator, away from podium speeches and political rallies.
Traders welcomed him as he moved from one business point to another, with some using the opportunity to raise concerns about their livelihoods, working conditions, security and the management of the city.
Oron promised that, if elected, his administration would place ordinary residents at the centre of county decision-making.
“I want a government that listens before it acts,” he said. “Leadership is not about sitting in an office and assuming that you know everything. You have to come to the people, hear what they are saying and understand the challenges they face every day.”
He added: “These traders, these hawkers, these young people shining shoes and doing small businesses are the people who keep Kisumu alive. Their voices must be heard in the decisions we make.”
The MP said his approach to leadership would be based on accessibility, accountability and responsiveness.
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“I want to be a governor who can walk among the people, shake their hands, sit with them and listen to them without barriers,” he said.
“You should not have to know a governor personally to have your problem heard. The government must be responsive to the needs of every resident.”
Oron’s street-level campaign comes as the race to succeed Nyong’o begins to attract some of the county’s most prominent political figures.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili has also been making direct public engagements, positioning himself as one of the leading contenders for the seat.
Kisumu Woman Representative Rosa Buyu recently attracted attention after walking into a city hotel, buying lunch for customers she found there before later engaging street hawkers and traders.
The emerging style points to an increasingly retail form of politics in Kisumu, with aspirants seeking to demonstrate that they can connect with voters beyond traditional political rallies.
Buyu, Oron and Owili are among the leading names in a crowded contest that also includes Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda, Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor and former Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura.
For Oron, however, the journey to the governor’s office is being framed as a personal story that began long before the 2027 political contest.
“This is something I dreamt about when I was a child,” he said. “I have grown, I have served, I have learnt and now I am asking the people to give me the opportunity to serve Kisumu at a higher level.”
As he moved through the streets, stopping to greet traders and residents, the MP appeared relaxed and jovial, repeatedly breaking into laughter and exchanging jokes with members of the public.
For the traders, the encounter offered something more immediate than campaign rhetoric: an opportunity to speak directly to a politician seeking their votes.
And for Oron, the walk was more than a public-relations exercise. It was an early attempt to turn a childhood dream into a public mandate — one handshake, conversation and street corner at a time.
It is Mic Test as MP Joshua Oron Takes Governor Bid to the Streets, Seeking Public Mandate to Succeed Nyong’o
Oron said his run for governor was not a sudden move, but a lifelong dream.