By Anderson Ojwang
Something special is unfolding in the political terrain of what was once predominantly the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) stronghold and bedroom.
The political ground is shifting rapidly, not towards President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which has been trying to make inroads into the region over the last four years with little success.
The movement, shift and excitement are about the emergence of the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) as an alternative political vehicle in Nyanza and its brand of politics.
MDG has, over the last two elections, weathered the political storm of ODM in Siaya County, especially in Ugenya, where the party leader and incumbent MP, David Ochieng, has whitewashed ODM candidates in the general election.
In the last general election, MDG presented a gubernatorial candidate in Kisumu, former Governor Jack Ranguma, who secured 100,600 votes. The party fielded several candidates in the last general election.
In the only parliamentary by-election in Nyanza, in Kasipul, MDG presented a candidate, Collins Okeyo, who came third with 4,796 votes. The seat was won by the ODM candidate and current MP, Boyd Were, with 16,819 votes, while Philip Aroko came second with 8,478 votes.
New officials
In a move to rebrand and infuse professionalism into the party, MDG has moved to publish a gazette notice on the changes to its party officials and constitution.
Among the new party officials, the most significant appointment is that of Secretary-General, a position that former Education Permanent Secretary Dr Julius Ouma Jwan will take over.
Jwan has expressed his candidature for the Ndhiwa parliamentary seat and is currently gaining a positive rating in the region.
Attack the bedroom
The appointment of Jwan as the MDG Secretary-General opens Homa Bay County to political competition for the bedroom, which now pits ODM against UDA, which have been sparring.
In the battle for supremacy, ODM and UDA have been fighting over zoning, with the former, through its national chairman and Homa Bay Governor, Gladys Wanga, and local MP Opondo Kaluma, insisting on zoning.
The proposed zoning is intended to prevent “friendly fire” between ODM and UDA candidates in ODM’s traditional bases, ensuring the party retains its influence.
According to Kaluma, the call has stirred emotions, created camps and, unfortunately, exposed a worrying level of misinformation, even among leaders who should be guiding the narrative within ODM.
“Zoning is a political strategy, one that mature parties in partnership use to maintain order, manage diversity and ultimately secure victory,” he said.
“It is about each party strengthening their house in order to have numbers in Parliament.
“It is not designed to lock anyone out, but to ensure that the partnering parties do not fight against each other while opponents organise,” Kaluma said.
UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar had announced that the party would field candidates without yielding to the notion of zoning or predetermined entitlements.
He said that leadership is not inherited or reserved; it is earned through the will of the people. Even within a BBG, the principle of contests must stand, for it is through open competition that legitimacy is secured and true representation is realised.
President Ruto has, over the last four years, been trying to turn Homa Bay into his bedroom through Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo.
Both Omollo and Wanga have had an on-and-off political cold war, and they are currently engaged in a tiff over the recent clampdown on goons and the arrest of ODM county youth leader Abdi Sebbo, a close ally of the governor.
The entry of MDG into Homa Bay politics provides a new dimension to the battle and could possibly see the party win the majority of seats.
Attracting candidates
While UDA has struggled to attract high-profile candidates for elective posts and has been composed mainly of the late Raila Odinga’s political enemies, MDG is gaining ground and benefiting from the political manoeuvring.
Apart from Dr Jwan, former Homa Bay County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe recently joined the party and will challenge ODM’s Kaluma for the Homa Bay parliamentary seat.
Apart from Ogwe, several serving MCAs in the Homa Bay Assembly and aspirants for various parliamentary and other elective posts in the region have expressed interest in running on the party ticket.
Jwan said the people of Nyanza were embracing MDG as an alternative vehicle to ODM and expressed optimism about a better political day and future in the region.
“The people are embracing MDG quite well. We have seen a lot of interest not just in Nyanza but in Western, Coast, parts of the Rift Valley, North Eastern and Nairobi,” he said.
The former PS said the main agenda was to popularise the party and make it easy to compete in next year’s general election.
“I believe our main agenda is to popularise the party and register more members. We have a lot of people in ODM strongholds who feel the old tricks in ODM nominations may deny them the opportunity to contest and have expressed interest in joining us,” he said.
Battle ground
Nyanza is likely to become a battleground for MDG, ODM, Siaya Governor James Orengo’s LDP and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino’s Mwananchi Party, while UDA will remain a stranger in the bedroom.
The four parties will battle it out for most elective posts and will easily gain recognition in the region, while UDA may be viewed as an outcast and intruder in the family battle.
