Function halted as Orengo, Obado fight over microphone

By Nick Oluoch

Kenya: A funeral service was disrupted for an hour in Migori County on Sunday after Migori Governor Okoth Obado and Siaya Senator James Orengo fought over a microphone.

The problem started when Orengo, who was addressing mourners, asked them to vote for an ODM candidate in case the Supreme Court declares the seat vacant.

According to Orengo, Migori County, like many others in the region, needed to be led by a governor who supports ODM to ensure they work with other colleagues.

However, this did not go down well with Obado, whose case will be determined by the Supreme Court on May 5 after the Court of Appeal declared his win invalid. Obado belongs to the People’s Democratic Party.

He shot up and swiftly walked to where Orengo was and tried to grab the microphone from him. The action soon degenerated into a shouting match between youths drawn from ODM and PDP, as they began to shove, push and hurl chairs and blows at each other as other ODM supporters led the Senator to a safe place. The whole episode lasted about one hour before calm returned for the burial service to continue.

 The incident happened at the burial of former Migori MP Charles Owino Likowa’s wife at his home in Kakrao village.

Earlier, Orengo and Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo had torn into the Jubilee Government, blaming it for inept in providing security to its citizens.

The two criticised President Uhuru Kenyatta for practicing tribalism in issuing jobs, claiming that a list of new recruits at the Communications Commission of Kenya contained so many people from one community.

Orengo called for the unity of Luos in ODM, a view that was also supported by Midiwo and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed. Midiwo had earlier asked for supporters to pardon the party over errors led to bungled ODM nominations in 2013.

Meanwhile, Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno was caught up in a similar ugly incident in Alego Usonga Constituency, Siaya County. Dalmas, was heckled by mourners when he attempted to drunm up support for a new political outfit, Kalausi.

He had attended the burial of Deputy County Commissioner of Kiambu, Jared Oduor Otieno. The former minister was accompanied by Kiambaa MP, Paul Koinange.