Steve Arika started as a campaigner of the late John Andrew Omanga (Nyaribari Chache MP) a very seasoned leader in the land of Omogusii in 1988, due to circumstances.

Interestingly in 1988, Arika was still a student at Nyamagwa SDA Sec school but the campaign period fell on a rainy holiday when Omanga was having a campaign rally at Nyabisabo market, and Hon Arika by then a student with a nose for politics was never left back.

Hon Omanga’s campaign symbol was a lit lantern (Etaya Yokire), and it was a challenge to display a lit lantern in the rain to conciliate followers who had great expectations.

It was pessimist for team Omanga to display unlit lanterns, as this was perceived as a bad omen because Omanga’s opponent Samuel Ogembo’s team was able to display their lit torches (spotlight )rain or shine.

Now the creative Steve Arika a young man from Ibeno was introduced to the chief of Chinkororo or Omogusii Clan warriors Simeon Nyachae son of Nyandusi by Omanga and saw an opportunity.

Hon Arika now came and immediately improvised a lantern with batteries (dry cells) in the lantern tank, wired to a bulb protruding from the wick area, and presented it to Omanga at Nyabisabo, while lit and it was still drizzling.

The crowds at Nyabisabo applauded Arika as expected, Omanga took Arika to his place to extemporize several electric lanterns for the campaign.

Steve Arika was now the theoretical physicist, referred to as the Einstein of Nyabisabo. While in primary school, he had their entire home powered using the ‘technology’ where the pit latrine recharges some batteries to produce viable electricity as he too had his home protected by a lightning arrestor.

People from as far as Igare, Nyanturago thronged his home to watch the world cup of 1986 because his improvised technology was able to recharge enough car batteries to sustain their black and white Sanyo tv.

A seasoned journalist Erick Ouko witnessed the rise of occasions of Ibeno legislator Steve Arika in the 1988 Nyabisabo incident when he was in Std 6.

Journalist Ouko continues to state that it’s Omanga who introduced and handed over Steve Arika to Simeon Nyachae in the 1992 election when Omanga stepped down for Nyachae in the Nyaribari Chache race-KANU ticket.

Seasoned journalist however affirms that It was also incidentally saying that at Nyachae’s Nyosia home, one day in Dec 1992, Omanga while handing over his team to Nyachae, remarked how Steve was helping him in public address equipment, youth mobilization, and electrical works and wiring of sound systems.

At this point now Nyachae remembered there was a faulty fluorescent in his bedroom corridor he asked Steve to go look at it and he looked at it technically the loose starter shone brightly and so once again Steve ended up as the lead person of Nyachae’s PAE and Amachuma mobilization.

Kaka Rodgers Sungura a renowned Kisii content producer and a political critic termed Arika as the new governor in town making strides. “This man Hon. Steve Arika. Is he the new Governor in town? Wow. other MCAs must be worried how work is done. ”bande nabo bagakumetie sana buna egasi egokoru.” Kaka Rodgers Sungura affirms.
Kaka Sungura urged other scribes also to monitor Arika’s progress “This man Arika, Watch his space almost all powerful County events anapeleka kwake.” Kaka Sungura says.

Finally, Erick Ouko states  that Arika is well versed and he has good experience being active in political matters for a long, endearing him to networks and his ability to maintain the networks while building on new
Steve Arika’s affinity for media is a plus to the robust political acumen he is building.

Hon Arika pulled a huge crown in Ibeno Ward at Nyanturago stadium during the activations of GBV Centre opening an initiative initiated by Kisii Woman representative Hon. Donya Doris Aburi accompanied several leaders from both Nyamira county and Kisii County.

During the event, the GBV and FGM shelter was sponsored by Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Kisii County Woman Representative’s Office through the National Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).

The program now comes against a backdrop of a rise in teenage pregnancies in the Kisii region. Kisii Woman Representative Doris Donya said that during her campaigns she came to learn that several girls had dropped out of school due to pregnancy. “We must begin a conversation on supporting these girls. We are losing a generation because they lack information. Our partners must come and help us fight this vice,” Mrs. Donya Doris said.

Hon. Steve Arika is the Current Ibeno Ward Member of the County Assembly in Nyaribari Chache Constituency.