By Anderson Ojwang
Twenty-three years ago, Kenyans witnessed the assassination of Dr Odhiambo Mbai, a respected scholar from Kochai, Homa Bay County.
Odhiambo, who chaired the Devolution Committee during the 2002–2004 Bomas of Kenya constitutional conference, became a sacrifice for today’s devolved governments.
In Kenya’s annals of history, Dr Odhiambo is revered for the birth of a new Kenya, and his sacrifice became the cornerstone of the country’s 2010 Constitution.
This weekend, leaders are expected to converge at his Kochia home for his 23rd anniversary – a moment and day of reflection.
But all is not well in Baba’s bedroom of Homa Bay County, as last Sunday, the home of freedom fighters – the late Tom Mboya, the late Ojijo Oteko, Odhiambo Mbai, the late matriarch Mama Phoebe Asiyo, among others – was turned into blood, deaths and wanton destruction of property.
With only 50 days to the first anniversary of former Prime Minister, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, his bedroom has been thrown into mourning, lamentations and tears by the same people he mentored and left the mantle to.
Raila sacrificed, was detained and jailed for the struggle for freedom of speech and association, and founded a political party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), as a vehicle of change and a better Kenya.
But on Sunday, the party national chairman and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Homa Bay county chairman and Homa Bay MP Opondo Kaluma, the vice county chairman and County Assembly of Homa Bay majority leader Richard Ogindo, and the county ODM youth leader Abdi allegedly rewound the decades-long clock of struggle.
The sacrifices of the assassinated leaders – Dr Odhiambo Mbai, Tom Mboya – and the detention of Raila, among others, were flushed down the drain as goons unleashed violence on the peaceful brigades of Linda Mwananchi.
Losers and winners
The bloody confrontation, apart from claiming lives and leaving a trail of injuries and destruction, also had political consequences.
In the political context, it was a double-edged sword: on one side, the losers; on the other side, the winners.
Losers
The broad-based coalition is the main casualty; they could have succeeded in containing the Linda Mwananchi brigade of Edwin Sifuna, Babu Owino and James Orengo from the county, but the knife has cut deeper.
The gains made by President William Ruto in Homa Bay and Nyanza suffered a major setback. The negative publicity and actions have dented the President’s approval in the county and the region.
After the 2022 presidential election, Homa Bay became the first destination for Ruto after his victory on 22 October 2022.
President Ruto has made at least eight to twelve trips to Homa Bay County since taking office in September 2022.
His visits included major development tours, church services, the opening of the Devolution Conference, and launching projects like affordable housing and road infrastructure in partnership with local leadership.
Ruto’s move was to inherit the bedroom, and in his strategy, he has a team of confidants: Dr Raymond Omollo, Permanent Secretary for Internal Security, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Homa Bay Governor and ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, and Homa Bay MP Opondo Kaluma.
But the last Sunday incident now forces Ruto back to the drawing board to reclaim the losses occasioned by his allies.
Wanga
Wanga, the ODM chairperson, faces an acceptability test nationally after the last Sunday incident. Already, from Turkana to Kwale and to other parts of the country, the drums of “unwanted” are beating.
Similarly, in Homa Bay, she is suffocating from political rebellion, and the defence of her seat looks like a mountain to climb. Wanga must have arrived at her political climax and is now witnessing the downward spiral.
Kaluma
The Homa Bay MP recently received summons from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to help in the investigation over the last weekend’s events.
“Let nobody say there is Linda Mwananchi. As a region, we are firmly behind Ruto. If you come to Homa Bay, do not come to abuse President William Ruto. The word ‘one term’ is provocation to violence for people in Homa Bay. Don’t provoke our people. If you want to give Homa Bay joy, say ‘two terms.’ That is where Baba left us,” he said.
Kaluma is under immense political pressure from the former Homa Bay County Secretary, Isaiah Ogwe. Ogwe is respected in the area because of his development record and support for the needy.
His entry into the race puts Kaluma in a precarious political situation.
ODM
The party is fast losing its footing, first over the fallout and the coalition with UDA. The Sunday incident left ODM faltering to the brink.
Winners
For Sifuna, it was a victory; he was able to stake his claim in Baba’s bedroom and received approval from the region. The incident pushed his national rating and approval higher.
Babu, ahead of the rally, said they would colonise Homa Bay and left victorious.
“Embakasi East MP Babu Owino on 16th, we are going to Homa Bay. We are coming in peace. Those mobilising goons, we know your plot. We are coming to Homa Bay to colonise it. We are not cowards,” he said ahead of the rally.
Babu is emerging as the heir apparent to Raila, and his influence is fast growing in the region.
Orengo, whose political future was in doubt, is back and becoming a major player. In Nyanza, he is becoming the focal point.
The Linda Mwananchi formation gained ground in the region, and once the party is unveiled, it is likely to become the party of the region.
Curtains fall
Last Sunday, curtains may have fallen, but with some leaders fading out from the scene while others are blossoming.
