NASA leader Raila Odinga’s ODM is deploying a formidable team in Migori County ahead of the October 8 senatorial by-election following a controversial decision to give direct nomination to former minister Ochillo Ayacko.
The party has lined up more than 30 MPs, 20 governors and senators to lead the campaigns and defeat a rebellion headed by Migori Governor Okoth Obado and former minister Dalmas Otieno who are opposed to Ayacko. The seat fell vacant following the death of Senator Ben Oluoch Okello.
Mr Obado has publicly rejected Mr Ayacko’sdirect nomination, saying it was undemocratic and against the wishes of the people. He has vowed to support a rival candidate.
Governors listed to lead the campaignsinclude Hassan Joho, Amason Kingi, Wycliffe Oparanya, Cornell Rasanga, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o while the senators will be led by James Orengo and Cleophas Malala.
The leaders will be split into groups and dispatched into the sub-counties to campaign. According to ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, the party is not taking chances in Migori.
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Mr Sifuna spoke as local MPs retreated to a meeting yesterday, where they laid out a plan for the campaigns.
“We do not want to take chances or create room for party rivals to poison voters’ minds,” said Sifuna.
So far, Solomon Hodo and Kennedy Makasembo are the only independent candidates. Another aspirant, Eddy Oketch, said he was still consulting. Dalmas is still shopping for a party.
Former MPs John Pesa and Edick Anyanga, who had earlier thrown their hats into the ring, have curiously gone quiet.
ODM chairman John Mbadi said the party will pull all stops to defend the seat and asked those supporting rival candidates to prepare for a shock.
Yesterday, Obado laughed off ODM’s plans, saying the party could have run out of ideas.
“If their candidate (Ayacko) is popular, why would they need a million-man campaignteam to pitch tent in Migori? Why would it be necessary to mobilise people and resources to campaign for a popular candidate?” the governor posed.
Obado added: “They purported to have conducted an opinion pollswhich showed their candidate was popular. It baffles me why they are having sleepless nights.”
“I will not be intimidated, not even through smear campaigns in the social media,” he told Saturday Standard.
At the same time, members of the Migori County Parliamentary Caucus have hit the ground running to campaign for Ayacko. The caucus is chaired by Rongo MP Paul Abuor.
The members include Walter Owino (Awendo), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Mohamed Junet (Suna East), Tom Odege (Nyatike), and Woman Rep Pamela Odhiambo. Others are nominated MP Dennitah Ghati and Suna West MP Peter Masara (Independent), who agreed to help Ayacko campaign to clinch the Senate seat.
In a statement released by Abuor, the MPs agreed to campaign peacefully and unite voters.
Peaceful campaign
“We want peace here and not violent politics. Let each one of you not be persuaded by any politician to turn against anybody opposed to his or her view,” the statement read.
Apparently aware of the silent and building forces against its nominee, ODM is determined to prove its critics wrong.
Yesterday, Abuor claimed MPs from Migori, including those initially opposed to Ayacko’scandidature, had shifted allegiance.
Kuria West MP Mathias Robi and his Kuria East counterpart Marwa Kitayama, who were elected on Jubilee ticket, have asked their supporters to vote for a candidate of their choice.
Migori is a cosmopolitan area, seen as a melting point of all cultures. The Orange party will have an uphill task in ensuring in brings other communities in the fold. The communities include Somali, Luhya, Kuria, Suba and Gusii. Most of them live in Rongo, Awendo, Migori and Isebania towns where they have set up businesses. Others like the Luhya migrated and settled in Uriri.
In the last elections, Kuria was represented in the Senate by Dr Wilfred Machage who was elected on ODM ticket courtesy of ‘negotiated democracy’.
Good relationship
Some analysts say battle for the Kuria votes will be a tough one, given that leaders and voters there enjoy good relations with Obado.
Last year, ODM was angered that the then Jubilee Party presidential candidate Uhuru beat Raila in Migori County. The party traced the votes to the two Kuria constituencies.
“Locals voted out Women Rep Danittah Ghati and Senator Machage. But Ghati was lucky to get an ODM nomination slot,” said Migori ODM branch chairman Philip Makabongo.
He says with the Senate by-election looming, the differences could play out again.
