By Anderson Ojwang
An elaborate plan designed to manipulate and rig the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) nomination in favour of one of the aspirants for Ugunja constituency has been exposed.
On Monday, an aspirant, Eng Fredrick ZB Owino, presented a petition during the ODM nomination and aspirants’ meeting where he claimed and detailed the deliberate plot to manipulate and rig the election in favour of one candidate.
Owino also alleged that Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi was trying to interfere with the nomination in favour of Moses Okoth Omondi, his immediate CDF Manager.
Owino rejected the list of polling centres on the basis that the designated polling centres were not a true representation of voting number spread in the constituency, saying gazetted polling stations with higher numbers had been assigned lower polling centres, hence disfranchising voters in those areas.
He claimed gazetted polling centres with lower vote numbers but were perceived to be strongholds of an aspirant had been assigned more polling centres, hence giving him an undue advantage over his competitors.
“Ligega sub location where one of the aspirants comes from with 2,987 registered voters have three designated polling centers while Rangala sub location where I come from with 3,825 registered voters have one designated polling centre. Yiro West sub location where the former MP with 4,736 registered voters has three polling centres while Ugunja sub location where one of the aspirants comes from with 7,696 registered voters has only two polling centres,” he wrote.
He also claimed bias in the identification of the polling centres, which was designed to be used to manipulate the elections.
Owino also expressed concern over the party’s failure to disclose the names of the returning officer and polling officials and demanded the publication of the names be made public to avoid manipulation.
“There is no clarity on whether the party intends to conduct the nominations through electronic gadgets, through official ballot boxes and ballot papers or through exercise books as has been witnessed before,” he wrote.
In a quick response, Chairperson of the Board Emily Awinja published a new list of polling centres.
“Pursuant to the notice dated 12th September 2025, the National Elections Coordinating Committee wishes to notify all party members and stakeholders of the following correction,” she wrote.
The primaries are slated for 27th September 2025 and it has split the party leadership in the middle.
Wandayi supports Omondi, while Siaya Governor James Orengo is also said to support another candidate.
Orengo and Wandayi have become bitter political rivals, with the latter scheming to dethrone the former from the gubernatorial seat in the 2027 elections.
The ODM nomination only attracted three aspirants: Owino, Omondi, and Otieno Aluru. Other strong aspirants opted to contest in other parties. KANU will be presenting a candidate in the by-election.
The seat fell vacant after Wandayi was appointed to the Cabinet as one of the ODM experts, and he has become an ardent supporter of President William Ruto.
UDA is not presenting a candidate in Ugunja and will be supporting the ODM candidate in solidarity with the broad-based government arrangement.
All three aspirants are strong and either of them can win the nomination, which is billed as a pre-match between Wandayi and Orengo ahead of the 2027 elections.
Interestingly, both Orengo and Wandayi in the last Parliament failed to deliver to ODM the Ugenya seat after the court nullified the election of David Ochieng of MDG. Ochieng rode back to victory.
The ghost of nominations in the ODM has remained a constant in the party, and this continues to undermine the party, which is currently fighting to stem a brewing rebellion.
Wandayi recently flew to a birthday party of one of the party comedians where they declared support for Omondi.
