Kasipul election turnout would have been like Ugunja had Philip Aroko not made it competitive.
The way Boyd was imposed on the people in Kasipul is the same way Moses was imposed on Ugunja voters. Both have won, but with what turnouts?
For the 2027 presidential vote, and particularly the re-election of President Ruto — which is more important for the Luo community than all these MP seats combined — the people must turnout to vote.
Turnout will only be achieved if competition is credible. Aware that there’s nothing one can do to stop some of these entrenched habits of the ODM Party, especially the party’s penchant for selecting and imposing weak candidates on the electorates; those concerned with the PRESIDENTIAL VOTE should pivot towards identifying other strong candidates to challenge ODM’s would be ‘selected candidates’.
In a general election situation, both Boyd’s supporters and Aroko’s supporters would have most likely voted for one presidential candidate. Yet the demand by ODM is that candidates such as Aroko should not even be allowed to contest.
Make no mistake, you leave ODM to run Luo Nyanza politics on its own and you will be faced with VOTER APATHY the likes of which nobody has ever seen. I do not here mean that the Luo should abandon the ODM Party. No. What I mean is that until such a time that the ODM Party — on its own — can bring the Luo numbers to the ballot, WHOLESOMELY, extra-party effort must be pursued along with the party effort, to forestall voter apathy.
Luos who will feel wronged during ODM primaries — and they will be many — should always have a chance to vote in the general election, for whoever candidates they desire, and, importantly, above everything else; vote for the presidential candidate.
Congratulations Boyd and Moses for your pyrrhic victories!
******
The Luo-Luhya political formation has always delivered seats in Nairobi but the Kariobangi North Ward by-election is the first time the formation lost as a result of Luhya truancy.
Due to the Presidential vote, most Luhya aspirants always benefited in down races, as Luos were talked out of contesting as a “sacrifice” for Baba — never mind Baba himself usually said he’s a muluhya!
In Kariobangi North, ODM Party primaries were credibly conducted with a Luo winning. The Luhya who came second — a Christopher Wandera — (aka Dangote) however demanded he be issued the ticket, threatening to exit ODM if he is not given the ticket.
Hon. Robert Alai brought him to Hon. Junet Mohamed, who offered the Luhya aspirant the option of repeating the nominations if he felt he was the most popular; however, the Luhya aspirant rejected a repeat. Hon. Junet then urged him to support the winner, who will only do the two remaining years, after which the ticket will be directly issued to him. Again, he flatly rejected this offer.
As I type this, Kariobangi North Ward was won by DCP. This Wandera fellow did not even emerge in top four.
What Luhya candidates in Nairobi need to adjust to is the fact that Raila Odinga is no more and they should not be too hard on Luos. There will be nothing to give if there’s none to take. GEMA will eat both of you each time you don’t agree.
I hope Aladwa and group will take this message to Waluhya wa Nairobi.
