By Anderson Ojwang
The November by-elections recently announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) present the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) with another moment to guillotine the fattened aspirants for the parliamentary seats during the party’s primaries.
For over two decades, and in successive general elections and by-elections, various aspirants for the parliamentary, gubernatorial, senatorial, and county assembly seats have been butchered at the altar of party’s nominations.
Several bright, budding political careers have been brought to nought, while career civil servants, professionals, and business persons with a dream of offering leadership in politics have stayed away, fearing the butcher’s knife and its consequences.
ODM nominations have been a theatre of political deception, manipulation, and hoodwinking of the aspirants of a ‘free and fair’ nomination, only to end up guillotined after spending tens of millions on the campaigns.
In the last general elections, the party took the aspirants for a ride by promising a free and fair nomination, invited them to pay nomination fees, only to end up with boardroom decisions where the majority of MPs were given direct tickets, while gubernatorial and senatorial candidates were not subjected to nominations.
The injustices by the party over nominations have finally caught up with it and were aptly captured by the Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, during a recent TV interview when he said that the excitement about ODM party ticket was on a downward spiral.
‘With the expected by-elections in the country, most aspirants are shying away from using the ODM ticket as they fear destroying their political careers. They have instead opted for other parties or to contest as independent candidates,’ he said.
Already, signs of the party’s old habits resurfacing in the by-elections in Kasipul and Ugunja constituencies have emerged, with the party National Chairperson, Gladys Wanga, expressing her support for the son of slain Kasipul MP Charles Ongondo Were, Mr Boyd Were.
In Ugunja Constituency, Energy Cabinet Secretary and a former Chairperson of ODM Political Affairs, Mr Opiyo Wandayi, is favouring the election of his CDF Manager, Moses Omondi.
In Kasipul Constituency, Wanga has directed employees at the county to support and campaign for Boyd, and this explains why the Chief Officer for Governance, Mr Isaack Ongiri, was, at the weekend, holding a series of meetings to drum up support for the aspirant.
Equally, Mr Joash Aloo, a CEC at the county who had expressed interest in the seat and had embarked on engaging with the electorate, has stopped his political activities after he was prevailed upon by the Governor.
Attempts by the Governor to prevail over her deputy, Oyugi Magwanga, to support Boyd failed to yield fruit after the latter declined and called for a free and fair nomination to allow the electorate to elect a leader of their choice.
Already, 17 aspirants have shown interest in the vacant seat, and they include Samwel Owida, Philip Aroko, Victor Mbaka, Boyd Were, Rateng Otiende, Tom Sipul, Ajoh Mbuta, Ken Okoth Jam, Joash Aloo, Swaleh Omondi, Okindo Majiwa, Colins Otieno, Mary Askon, Newton Ogada, Edward Oloo Otula, Allan Odera, and Robert Money Mabior.
A recent night meeting between Wanga and Magwanga over a possible candidate to succeed Were ended in a stalemate.
Wanga and her team tried to prevail over Magwanga to support Ongondo’s son, Boyd Were, but the latter was reluctant and did not commit to the proposal.
On the table, sources told Western Insight, that Wanga asked Magwanga to support Boyd, and in return, she would support his candidature for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Homa Bay County Chairperson seat.
Magwanga confirmed the visit, saying they discussed various issues and neither denied nor confirmed whether he was approached to support the son of his political nemesis and would, in return, get the county ODM Chair seat.
‘The Governor visited me last night and we discussed several issues. You are free to speculate whatever we discussed. I have been having several visitors to my home and everyone is welcome,’ he said.
Recently, a section of MPs from Nyanza led by Wanga, trying to have Boyd get direct nomination, hit a snag and split the party.
But the defiant Wanga and other leaders recently presented Mr Boyd at a local church and asked the residents to support his candidature to inherit his father’s seat.
Wanga, Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma, Senator Moses Kajwang, Minority Whip Millie Odhiambo, and Roza Buyu (Kisumu West) said late Were’s son was the best-suited family member to replace his father as Kasipul Member of Parliament.
In Ugunja, several aspirants have expressed interest in the seat and hope to go through ODM nominations, while others will seek to contest on different parties.
Those who have already expressed interest in the seat include Chris Budo, Dr Orodi Odhiambo, Benson Obol, Joseph Otieno Aluru, Moses Omondi, Eng Fred Z.B. Owino, Fredrick Ochiel, Fredrick O. Dor, Wycliff Wendo, Fredrick Otieno, Sam Okoyo, and M.J. Okumu.
In Ugunja, Siaya Governor James Orengo is also said to favour one of the aspirants, and the electorate are likely to finally witness the long-simmering Orengo-Wandayi supremacy battle.
For those gunning for the ODM ticket, the clock may be ticking so fast and they could have no other choice but to go through the butcher’s knife.
Will the Raila Odinga finally live to the ideals of democracy to allow the electorate to elect a leader of their choice or will it be another charade and wild goose chase in the pursuit of the illusive party ticket?
