Raila Odinga's allies intensify calls for six-piece voting in ODM strongholds

East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Oburu Oginga. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Orengo, who asked the locals to turn out in large numbers and vote for Raila, said the president needed loyal troops who will work with him at the national level.

"It not enough to give Raila votes but deny him soldiers who will work with him in running the government," said Orengo.

Ochanda also asked the residents in Raila Odinga's backyard only to elect ODM candidates for all seats.

Ombaka urged local residents to turn out in large numbers on August 9 to vote for ODM candidates in all the seats.

"This is the only surest way of making Raila a president with a team that understands his nine-point agenda and those who will unite the region," said Ombaka.

Their push for a six-piece voting pattern has continued to rub the wrong way other fringe parties within the Azimio la Umoja coalition, with many opposing plans to zone the country and prevent them from fielding candidates, especially in the ODM strongholds.

On Saturday, former Rarieda MP Gumbo took his campaigns to Mageta island as he stood his ground to battle the governorship with ODM candidate.

He argued that voters should be rallied to consider on an equal basis all candidates within the Azimio coalition party.

"We want Raila to win the presidency and have all MPs in Azimio. So the six-piece voting pattern is for Azimio, not a political party because we are a house of so many parties," said Gumbo.

Gumbo, who will also face Millicent Odhiambo (UDA) and William Ochieng (independent) in the August 9 elections insisted that giving the Azimio parties equal chance will be beneficial to Raila's presidency as it will mean higher voter turnout as each outfit will be rallying supporters to come out and vote for its candidates.