Clan elders had a busy week as they hosted gubernatorial aspirants seeking their support ahead of the 2017 elections.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado and one of his opponents, Ann Anyanga, have been criss-crossing the county seeking blessings and endorsement from clans that form crucial voting blocks in the region.
Last month, the Abagusii community living in Migori endorsed Governor Obado's bid for a second term.
The more than 200 representatives of the community who have been residing in the county for over three decades said they had agreed to support Obado.
According to the Migori Abagusii community chairperson, Samuel Ogeto Anyona, there are over 60,000 Abagusii living in Migori and who are registered voters in the county.
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He said they supported the governor when he sought his maiden mandate in 2013 and were ready to support him again because he had united communities in the county.
"We have always felt like outsiders but when the governor reached out, we felt part of Migori County," he said.
Two weeks ago, over 200 former councillors held a meeting with the Governor at his official residence where they declared support for him.
On Friday, elders from four clans in Kuria endorsed and anointed Mrs Anyanga for the race.
Over 100 elders from Abairege, Abanyabasi, Abakira and Abagumbe clans anointed the aspirant in a traditional ceremony held at Nyamagenga Primary School in Kuria East sub-county.
Nyagusuka Magige, the chairman of elders from Abanyabasi clan presided over the ceremony where Anyanga was given a traditional stool, a traditional food basket and a bible.
The elders also gave the aspirant a traditional name, Mbusiro, which means seeds.
"I am humbled to receive blessings from Kuria elders and the community ahead of official campaigns, I will have the community's aspirations at heart while forming the next government," she said.
Isaac Wantae, an elder from Bagumbe clan, said Anyanga was the first aspirant for seek the elders' blessings ahead of next year's general elections.
"Any other aspirant who will come for endorsement will be wasting time," he said.
He claimed they had chosen to move on since the incumbent governor, whom they voted for overwhelmingly when he picked a running mate from the community, had not fulfilled his election pledges.
Yesterday, Suna elders also made the 'Suna declaration' to support Obado's re-election.
But Mark Nyamita, a gubernatorial aspirant, dismissed the elder's endorsements terming them as "commercial" and divisive.
