Leaders strategise to oust rivals in elections

Several politicians who were swept away by the political tide in the 2013 and 2017 General Elections in Nyanza are slowly coming out of the woods with their eyes on the 2022 duel.

The Sunday Standard has established that while some leaders have already started shifting alliances to contest for governorship, others who fell out with the ODM party are secretly lobbying to come back.

ODM is already working to put its house in order in a bid to counter the political ambitions of some former loyalists.

On Friday, party leaders from Homa Bay cracked the whip on some members who contested as independent candidates.

Among the officials that were kicked out of leadership positions are former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, who is eyeing Homa Bay governorship and former Kabondo Kasipul MP Syvance Osele.

This week, politicians who lost in the 2017 elections met at a hotel in Kisumu to strategise on their comeback.

Former Kisumu governor Jack Ranguma met with Senator Fred Outa and former Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura to plot an alliance aimed at challenging Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o in the elections.

Ranguma told Sunday Standard that he is engaging various leaders in a bid to kick out Nyong’o from office.

“Currently we are at advanced stage of our discussions, but there is no much to share with the media yet. Maybe before the end of the year we will have something to share,” he said.

This comes days after ODM leader Raila Odinga praised the Kisumu governor’s performance and asked him to go for the second term.

The other prominent politician who is scheming to make a comeback is Raila’s ally, former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, who was ousted by newcomer Elisha Odhiambo in the 2017 elections.

Midiwo, who is Raila’s cousin, served as Minority Leader in Parliament. He was Gem MP for three terms from 2002 to 2017.

Caroli Omondi, a former aide to Raila who lost to ODM chairman John Mbadi in the Suba South parliamentary elections in 2017, told Sunday Standard that he will contest for the seat.

Analysts, however, predict that Omondi will back Mbadi for Homa Bay governorship to gain support for the Suba South seat. “I will be going for Suba South parliamentary seat,” Omondi said.

Several former Members of Parliament from Kisii and Nyamira counties are also battling to make a comeback.

Those who lost in the 2017 General Election and got a soft landing in government appointments are using their positions to lay ground to contest for various seats.

In 2017, seven MPs from the region including two county woman representatives lost their seats to newcomers.

Former Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire is eyeing Nyamira governorship.

Bosire, an ally of Raila, is the ODM national treasurer. He is credited for prudent use of the Constituency Development Fund. 

“Kenyans want nothing but good governance and promising leaders who can instill hope. Our people deserve better leadership. The national transformation agenda is welcome,” he said.

The vocal ODM leader lost to Shadrack Mose.

Former MP Walter Nyambati, who lost in the 2013 polls, is also eyeing a county seat.

Nyambati was appointed to the Jubilee National Management Committee.

In North Mugirango, Jubilee Party marshaled support to oust former MP Charles Geni, who was a crusader for NASA. Geni is seeking to recapture the seat he lost to Jubilee’s Joash Nyamoko, the former Nyamira County Assembly Speaker.

Kenya National Congress party leader Manson Nyamweya is eyeing the Kisii governorship.

Nyamweya’s party won two parliamentary seats in the last polls; Bomachoge Chache (Alfa Miruka) and South Mugirango (Sylvanus Osoro).

Last week, People’s Democratic Party leader Omingo Magara met Kanu leader Gideon Moi in a bid to form an alliance ahead of the 2022 polls.

Magara is eyeing the Kisii governorship.

Former Bonchari MP Zebedeo Opore is seeking to recapture the seat as is former Nyaribari Masaba MP Robert Monda, who is also seeking to make a comeback.