Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has been voted vice president of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa’s East Africa Regional Caucus (UCLG-Africa). 

According to a statement published by the caucus on Sunday, at a meeting last week in Nairobi, 70 delegates from 15 member nations of the UCLG-A Eastern Africa Region opted to pick Prof Nyong’o.

Members include Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Seychelles, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Djibouti, Madagascar, Sudan, Eritrea, and the Comoros.

Prof. Nyong’o was backed by his predecessor, Mr. Innocent Uwimana, who is also the head of the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA).

He believes the governor of Kisumu has what it takes to be the continental body’s vice president.

The presidency is presently held by Ms Christine Mba Ndutune of Gabon.

Hilda Kwamboka, an MCA from Mombasa, was also voted head of the African Network of Locally Elected Women’s Election Commission.

The caucus was convened in preparation for the 9th Africities Summit, which will be held in Kisumu from May 17 to 21.

UCLG-Africa – The umbrella organization for African local governments, was founded in 2005 in the City of Tshwane, South Africa as a result of the unification of three continental groups of local governments, namely the African Union of Local Authorities (AULA); the Union des Villes Africaines (UVA); and the Africa Chapter of the União das Ciudades e Capitães Lusófonas Africanas, (UCCL AFRICA).