By Anderson Ojwang
The once politically conservatory Nyanza, a preserve for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for decades, is currently opening its door to suitors.
The bride is now inviting potential grooms to battle it out for her hand, and in earnest, attention is turning to Nyanza.
The scramble for the 2.1 million votes, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission 2022 data, has begun in earnest, with the party leader of Safina, Jimmy Wanjigi, opening party offices in three counties – namely Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay – within a month.
Previously, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of President William Ruto, through the broad-based arrangement with ODM, had encroached into the region and opened offices in all the counties.
And with the demise of ODM founder, Raila Amolo Odinga, and the declaration by the Linda Ground faction of Dr Oburu Oginga that they will not have a presidential candidate, the scramble is in the offing.
“Today, we opened our doors in Homa Bay. We have come home to a community that has long understood what it means to be overlooked and underserved,” he said.
Wanjigi said Safina was built on one foundational conviction which was in sync with the people of Nyanza and other Kenyans.
“Kenyans must be liberated economically. Not just politically free, but free from debt that does not serve them, free from a system that taxes the poor to protect the wealthy, free from a government that hoards billions while its people go without healthcare and education. The people of Homa Bay understand this reality as intimately as any community in this country. That is precisely why we are here,” he said.
Wanjigi was in Homa Bay on Friday, where he planted the seed of Safina in hope of scrambling and walking away with not only presidential votes but also elective posts in the 2027 elections.
In Siaya, Wanjigi said the region’s leadership should stop compromising the rights and lives of the residents for selfish gain.
“Leaders in this region must stop compromising the rights and lives of their people for selfish gain. You cannot align with a government that continues to burden citizens, borrow endlessly, and preside over suffering, then claim to represent the people,” he said.
He warned against what he described as attempts to infiltrate and weaken the region’s political foundation.
“We will not allow this government to force itself onto the political foundation built by our father, Hon. Raila Odinga, and dismantle it for selfish gain. The people of this region must remain vigilant. Your leaders are failing you,” he said.
Secretary General Joakim Simiyu struck a defiant and rallying tone, expressing confidence that the current government will not survive the next electoral cycle.
“This government will not see another day in office after the next General Election. The people are awake. Enough is enough. Siaya, the time is now, not tomorrow, not next year. Join Safina. Take back what is yours,” he said.
Simiyu said the Siaya office will serve as a hub for grassroots mobilization, civic engagement, and policy dialogue as Safina Party accelerates its nationwide expansion.
Deputy party leader Willis Otieno said they were coming strong to Nyanza with one clear agenda: economic liberation, and that the people of Siaya must be part of this journey.
“As we begin our regional integration across Nyanza, our focus is to engage, to educate, and to build a movement grounded in the real issues affecting our people, especially the economy,” he said.
The entry of Safina, UDA, and now the Linda Mwananchi faction of ODM led by James Orengo, Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino is likely to open the region for grabs.
UDA recently conducted its grassroots elections in Kisumu and Siaya counties, and President Ruto has been making inroads in the region.
The jittery and wobbling wing of Linda Ground, led by Dr Oburu Oginga, is slowly grinding to a halt and can no longer catch up with the new players sharpening their knives for a slice of meat.
This explains the craving for zoning by Linda Ground – their demand for zoning in the pre-election coalition pact with UDA and listing it as one of their irreducible minimums in the arrangement.
ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga declared that Homa Bay and the broader Nyanza region are ODM zones and will not tolerate opposition, specifically warning against UDA infiltration.
Wanga insisted that any coalition agreement with UDA must include a clear zoning formula that guarantees ODM a fair and respectable number of seats in regions where it has strong support.
“ODM will not be a ‘junior affiliate’ to UDA, and we expect a 50-50 power-sharing structure where ODM controls its traditional strongholds,” she insisted.
Kaluma said: “I want to tell our friends in UDA, if you think you can have members here in Homa Bay, it will take away votes from the President. In fact, if you want to destroy our relationship, try fronting anyone other than ODM here in Homa Bay.”
With Nyanza opening its doors, all roads will now turn to the region ahead of the 2027 election, and this will put the UDA-ODM coalition pact to the test.
