By Anderson Ojwang
The week of politics of chest thumping, planning, bravado and threats to scuttle last Sunday’s Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisumu came a cropper and fell on flat feet.
Despite the deployment of heavy resources and lobbying by the Broad-Based government operatives to deflate and scuttle the Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisumu, it turned out as a miserable failure.
If anything, it was a wake-up call that Kisumu politics is local and that strangers and outsiders have no impact or say over what happens in the lake city.
The successful Linda Mwananchi rally has now come back to politically “maul” the opponents, who are mostly strangers in the lake city politics after bragging about their ability to stop the event.
All the tricks and strategies that were deployed by the pro-government operatives, including goodies to the boda boda operators and use of local politicians among others, failed to yield any success. It was a total flop and a slap on the master.
The boda boda wing
The government operatives successfully brought the boda boda operators into their fold.
Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo, in a move meant to woo them into the fold, directed the immediate release of all boda boda motorcycles impounded over petty offences, saying the move is meant to restore livelihoods for operators across the Nyanza region.
Omollo, who had a forum with boda boda leaders from Kisumu County’s seven constituencies, said the directive stems from President William Ruto and is already being implemented by the Nyanza Regional Police Commander.
“All motorbikes held on account of petty offences will be released. This directive is being effected to ease the burden on operators and restore their means of livelihood,” said Omollo.
The chairman of the Kisumu Boda Boda Association, Jacob Ochieng Ogango, ahead of the rally visited the Linda Mwananchi venue at Kowuor Ground and declared they do not want political violence in Kisumu.
“We are here at Kowuor Ground, and we fear there may be chaos. The one-term crusaders are known for evoking violence. We are in broad-based government and fully support President William Ruto. Kisumu is a no-go zone for one-term. We will not allow James Orengo and Babu Owino to hold the rally in Kisumu. One-term is not allowed in Kisumu. Kisumu is ODM, Kisumu is Ruto and Dr Oburu Oginga,” he said.
But the boda boda failed to stop the rally, and some of them are counting losses after their motorcycles were burnt.
The Budget Chairman, Sam Atandi
The Chairman of the Budget Committee in the National Assembly, Mr Sam Atandi, who positioned himself as the master planner and plotter to scuttle the rally and traversed the county in a chopper, found himself licking his wounds.
Atandi wrote on his X handle: “No imposter will be allowed into Kisumu. Kisumu city must remain a peaceful city.”
He said Linda Mwananchi were not accepted in Kisumu and would not hold any rally in the lake city.
“I am telling you, they will not be accepted in Kisumu. There will be no rally in Kisumu,” he said.
But Embakasi East MP Babu Owino dismissed Atandi as a stranger in Kisumu politics who can only control village Siaya politics.
“Mweshimiwa Sam Atandi, you want to plan for Kisumu people. We know the people you are trying to use. Atandi, don’t bring trouble to Kisumu. You failed miserably,” he said.
After bragging in the media and holding a series of strategic meetings to contain and scuttle the rally, Atandi found himself humbled and relegated to the periphery.
The ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga troupe
The ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga’s political troop in Kisumu, led by Kisumu West MP Roza Buyu, MCA Seth Kanga alias Adui Nyang, former Kisumu Central MP Fred Ouda, and her younger brother Robert Nyasuna, failed to deliver. They were vanquished and sent back to the drawing board.
During a recent rally in Kisumu organized by Wanga, leaders allied to her had threatened Babu, Siaya Governor James Orengo and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna with dire consequences. The threats were actually frog croaks that don’t deter cows from drinking water.
For Wanga, her desire to be the Luo kingpin fell flat on Sunday after her team failed to deliver. If anything, she has made more enemies not only in Homa Bay but also in Kisumu, Siaya and Migori, where she plans to plant her loyal candidates.
Ouda’s threat to Babu, a miscalculation
Ouda could have politically miscalculated his political move and attack on Babu, a resident of the sprawling Nyalenda slums.
For Nyalenda residents, Babu represents hope and inspiration for them that something good can come from the slums.
The threat by Ouda to Babu was actually an attack on the Nyalenda slums members, and this explains why they turned out in huge numbers to give protection to the Linda Mwananchi team during the church service.
Ouda had declared during a rally in Rangumo that “You can take Linda Mwananchi rally anywhere else but don’t try it in Kisumu. Whatever will happen to you, you will only have yourself to blame.”
The Orengo-Babu team dismantled the Broad-Based operatives and exposed them as political novices that the President cannot rely on to win the Nyanza votes.
And the message is that the people’s power is more powerful and that Babu-Orengo have the people while the other wing have the resources.
