Dalmas Otieno to vie for Migori governorship on Jubilee ticket

Dalmas Otieno, the former Vice-Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) will have a stab at the Migori Governor’s seat on a Jubilee Party ticket.

The 79-year-old failed to capture the Rongo Parliamentary seat after losing to Orange Democratic (ODM) Party candidate Paul Abuor in 2017. He ran as an independent candidate, though he says he was a Jubilee member. 

“I did not join Jubilee today. I have been in the party since 2017,” said the former Industrialisation Minister.

On Thursday, March 10, Otieno announced his ambition to carry the Jubilee ticket in his quest to succeed Governor Okoth Obado.

“I am going for the governor’s seat on Jubilee ticket and our (presidential) candidate is Raila (Odinga). We are all in Azimio.

Otieno is expected to face off with Ochillo Ayacko of ODM and former Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga.

First elected to Parliament in 1988, Otieno unsuccessfully tried to form a parallel outfit - Kalausi, in 2014, ostensibly to tame ODM influence in South Nyanza. 

“The main reason why I chose Jubilee is because of its strong development records,” he told Standard when asked what influenced his choice of the party.

“We have a serious development programme for the county which will need a lot of resources. We need to establish tourism and fisheries programme on Lake Victoria.”

Otieno also served as Minister of Labour and Human Resource Development, and Transport under the late President Daniel Arap Moi.

Viewed as an independent politician who makes his own decisions without following any political tide, Otieno briefly worked with ODM leader Raila Odinga in the Grand Coalition government where he served as Minister of State for Public Service.

In 2007 he defected from KANU to ODM successfully run for Rongo MP seat for two consecutive terms.