From Siaya to Migori, with Kisumu and Homa Bay in between, some of Kenya’s household political names from Luo Nyanza are facing perhaps the most career-threatening political battles of their lifetimes.
In Siaya, Senator James Orengo and Dr. Oburu Oginga are fighting to win the governor and senator tickets on ODM Party. The two, seen as old generation politicians, are facing heavy resistance from younger politicians keen to send them to long-overdue retirement.
From recent campaigns, Orengo and Oburu are facing heavy resistance from an army of opponents coalescing around former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo and former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino.
To avoid fallout, ODM sent a strong delegation of senior party honchos including ODM National Chairman John Mbadi and Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o to shore up support for the two ahead of ODM nominations.
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Interestingly, both Prof. Nyong’o and Mbadi are themselves fighting vicious re-election battles in their backyards. Nyong’o, in Kisumu, is facing an axis of Senator Fred Outa and CAS Ken Obura alongside the former governor Jack Ranguma.
Though Nyong’o is seen as the party favourite to clinch the ODM ticket, his opponents understand how the ODM Party nominations politics is played and will drag their contests to the last hour.
For Mbadi, currently trailing in polls in Homa Bay behind Women Rep Gladys Wanga and former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, backing Oburu and Orengo in Siaya is seen more as posturing for the ODM gubernatorial ticket in Homa Bay.
In Migori, former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno has opted for the Jubilee ticket, to battle it out with current Migori Senator Ochillo Ayacko of ODM in a crowded race which also includes Former Migori MP John Pesa and current Women Rep Dr. Pamela Odhiambo.
ODM is trying to avoid a full-blown fallout and has opted for consensus among aspirants, but with the high stakes involved, the only consensus currently is for the party to conduct free, fair, credible, and peaceful nominations, and let the winner decided BY THE PEOPLE to fly the party’s flag.
