By Valentine Omondi

Siaya Governor James Orengo has defended his decision to seek the Linda Mwananchi presidential ticket, dismissing claims that his ambition was aimed at undermining Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

Orengo confirmed that he is in the race for the coalition’s presidential nomination alongside Sifuna, who has already declared his interest in the 2027 presidency.

The veteran politician said Linda Mwananchi must allow internal competition before settling on a single presidential candidate, arguing that seeking the ticket is not an act of sabotage.

“I am going to run for president, which is not a crime,” Orengo said in an interview with Citizen TV.

He rejected suggestions that his entry into the contest was intended to derail Sifuna’s ambitions, insisting that he remains committed to the opposition outfit eventually presenting one candidate.

“I am not spoiling it, because I am committed to having one presidential candidate,” he said, adding that those opposed to internal competition were not democrats.

Veteran politician with previous presidential experience

Orengo’s entry into the race carries significant political weight, given his long career in Kenyan politics and his previous attempt to capture the presidency.

He first entered Parliament in 1980 through a by-election in Ugenya Constituency, becoming the youngest MP in the country at the time. He later returned to Parliament in the multiparty era and has held several senior political positions, including serving as Minister for Lands and Settlement.

In 2002, Orengo made his first presidential bid as the Social Democratic Party candidate, placing him among the few current political leaders with direct experience of running for Kenya’s top office.

His political career has largely been rooted in opposition politics, spanning the multiparty struggle of the 1990s and subsequent opposition coalitions. He has also served as Siaya Senator before becoming governor in 2022.

The experience is now likely to form part of his argument for why he should be considered for the Linda Mwananchi ticket, as he seeks to challenge a younger Sifuna for the nomination.

Disagreement over flagbearer

Orengo also disclosed that the question of Linda Mwananchi’s presidential candidate had already caused friction among the coalition’s principals during a retreat in Limuru, Kiambu County.

He said the issue was introduced to the agenda, but he opposed making a decision at that stage, arguing that more consultations were necessary.

“The issue of a presidential candidate was brought as an agenda, but I said it was inappropriate at that time and that it needed more consultation. Some people were unhappy about that,” he said.

The disagreement has since become more pronounced as Sifuna continues to build momentum for his presidential bid.

During Linda Mwananchi’s Meru tour on Sunday, August 30, Sifuna received public backing from Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, while Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale called on Orengo to support Sifuna’s bid and allow younger leaders to take over the political mantle.

The Meru tour was also disrupted by teargas as the movement continued its grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Orengo’s declaration introduces a new dimension to the coalition’s search for a presidential candidate. While Sifuna has been building support around his bid, Orengo is relying on decades of political experience and his own history of seeking the presidency to make a case for the ticket.

The central question now is whether Linda Mwananchi can accommodate the competing ambitions and still emerge with a united presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 election.

By Reporter

Former banker Mr Nicholas Koriko has joined the race for the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat.

Koriko, the former Finance County Executive Committee Member for 10 years in the former Governor Cyprian Awiti’s administration, declared his interest in the seat, saying he was the most suitable candidate.

“I have what it takes to lead Homa Bay to the next destination and tap into the vast opportunities in the county,” he said.

Koriko said his campaign apparatus had already been unleashed to popularise his candidature in the county and would soon officially launch his campaign.

“I have been having sessions with my team and delegation, and we have developed a road map to winning the election,” he said.

Koriko was one of the aspirants for the 2022 gubernatorial election in Homa Bay, whom the former Prime Minister, the late Raila Odinga, prevailed upon to allow Governor Gladys Wanga to fly the ODM flag.

Wanga, in a forced marriage, was paired with former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, and the duo rode to victory, defeating former Nairobi Governor Dr Evans Kidero.

Magwanga recently resigned from the deputy governor post, citing irreconcilable differences with Wanga.

Magwanga termed Wanga an ungrateful person and has already declared his intent to face off with Wanga at the ballot.

The former deputy governor demanded that Wanga should resign or be removed from the ODM national chairperson position to allow free and fair nomination.

‘I will be at the ballot and I am optimistic I will win the race. Wanga has failed to deliver on her manifesto and has been engaged in political rhetoric instead of development,” he said.

Koriko hails from Karachuonyo Constituency, while Magwanga is from Kasipul, and the duo come from greater Rachuonyo, with a vast chest of over 45 per cent of the total county vote.

Koriko will be relying on the political tentacles he developed during his tenure at the county and hopes to win the seat.

“I am optimistic that in 2027 we will give Homa Bay County a new leadership which is accountable and transparent,” he said.

By Billy Mijungu

The demographic realities of Migori County increasingly favour Linda Mwananchi-centric candidates, with Peter Masara emerging as one of the politicians who could benefit significantly from the movement’s growing influence.

Migori has close to 500,000 voters, with approximately 300,000 coming from the Luo and Suba communities and about 200,000 from other communities. Of the latter, roughly half are Kuria, while the rest include about 50,000 Luhya voters, 30,000 Kisii voters and approximately 20,000 voters shared among Kikuyus, Somalis and other communities.

This makes Migori one of Kenya’s most cosmopolitan political counties, demanding a different kind of political accountability and leadership.

Peter Masara, the Suna West MP and himself a Suba, appears to have learnt this lesson quickly. His consistent support for peaceful campaigns, democratic ideals and political tolerance has increasingly placed him in a position of support within the Linda Mwananchi brigade, despite his stated intention to seek another term.

Masara’s persuasion beyond political slogans has enabled him to differentiate himself from what many voters see as the selfish promotion of violence and political confrontation in Migori.

He has consistently condemned violence, arguing that it undermines democratic ideals and denies citizens the opportunity to freely participate in political processes.

With Suna West and Suna East increasingly behind him, Masara could creatively emerge as the political leader of the wider border belt, extending from Suna to Nyatike and Kuria.

The Jubilee Party, which has recently gained acceptance in Kuria through the influence of former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, could also throw its weight behind Masara on account of what supporters describe as political discipline and a commitment to peaceful politics.

If five constituencies can be effectively mobilised behind Masara, his path to the Migori governorship in 2027 becomes increasingly credible.

That would leave his opponents in the Sugarbelt region facing the difficult task of sharing the remaining three constituencies — a political reality that is already creating anxiety within one of the competing camps.

It should not be lost on the country that Peter Masara has consistently positioned himself as a change-maker across the Suna region.

In just five years, Suna West has made significant strides and, in several respects, has begun surpassing Suna East, which historically enjoyed an advantage because Migori County’s administrative headquarters are located within its jurisdiction at both the national and county levels.

The 2027 Migori gubernatorial contest could therefore become less about traditional regional arithmetic and more about who can build a genuinely cosmopolitan coalition around peace, accountability, development and democratic participation.

Masara appears to be positioning himself for precisely that contest.

By James Okoth

The Nomiya Church has issued a blistering warning to politicians across the political divide, cautioning that the race for power must not be allowed to plunge Kenya into lawlessness, territorial politics and political violence ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Nomiya Cardinal Bishop Moses Teddy Oketch said the growing political intolerance was becoming dangerous, warning the State, government politicians and opposition leaders that Kenya cannot afford a repeat of the violence associated with previous election cycles.

“Two terms doesn’t put bread on the table, one term doesn’t put bread on the table,” Bishop Oketch declared, warning politicians against treating political power as a matter of survival.

He said the church was increasingly alarmed by what he described as the creeping culture of political goonism and intolerance, particularly as politicians begin positioning themselves for 2027.

“As a church, we condemn these acts of lawlessness that are cropping into the country. We must condemn it in the highest terms possible. Otherwise, we are going to turn this country into Haiti,” Oketch warned.

The Cardinal Bishop said the rule of law must never be sacrificed to protect the interests of a handful of politicians, insisting that Kenya belongs to all its citizens.

“We cannot accept a country where the rule of law is tempered with in favour of a few politicians,” he said.

He further rejected the emergence of political “territories” where individuals or groups attempt to determine who can enter particular regions and who is allowed to campaign there.

“We cannot have a country where people have their territories and where people decide who comes in and who doesn’t come in,” he said.

‘Nyanza is not anyone’s political property’

Bishop Oketch’s remarks carry particular weight in the wake of growing political tensions in parts of Nyanza, with the church leadership warning against turning the region into a political no-go zone.

He said every politician must be allowed to traverse the country and sell their political agenda, provided they respect the law and the rights of other citizens.

“We are going into a political season where people can go where they want and say what they have, provided that they don’t infringe on other people’s rights,” he said.

The church, he added, was “not happy, especially in the Luo community,” over the direction political competition was taking.

He specifically condemned the confrontation witnessed in Awendo, saying political differences should never degenerate into physical confrontations.

“It is not right to challenge your opponent physically. What happened in Awendo is not right,” Oketch said.

He warned that normalising political violence at the grassroots could have devastating consequences as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.

Warning to both State and opposition

The Cardinal Bishop’s message was not directed at the opposition alone.

He warned politicians inside government and those seeking power from outside government that Kenyans must not be sacrificed on the altar of political ambition.

“As a church, we say no to goonism. We say no to lawlessness. We say no to polarization of this country,” he declared.

He also rejected attempts by political actors to “own” territories, insisting that Nyanza must remain open to every Kenyan politician who wants to campaign peacefully.

“We say no to people who want to own territories. Everyone is free to come to Nyanza so that they come and campaign.”

With political temperatures expected to rise significantly as 2027 approaches, Oketch called for an urgent national dialogue bringing together competing political interests and other stakeholders.

He said such a dialogue must be broad and inclusive, giving Kenyans an opportunity to confront the growing political divisions before they spiral beyond control.

“A national dialogue is important and must be inclusive so that we come out and reason together.”

The church’s warning effectively places all political players on notice: no presidential ambition, gubernatorial bid, parliamentary seat or party contest should be allowed to become a justification for violence, intimidation or the occupation of political “territories.”

For Nomiya Church, the message ahead of 2027 is stark, “political power is temporary, but the country belongs to everyone!”

By Anderson Ojwang

Uriri MP Mark Nyamita has blended technology with comedy for political satire on the Migori Governor, Ochilo Ayacko, and put him on check over his service delivery.

The application of the two weapons to dismantle Ayacko has irked the governor, who, in a recent interview, used harsh adjectives to describe his competitor for the seat in the 2027 elections.

Nyamita, combining humour, satire, technology and comedy to blend his speeches, has left the audience in stitches as his messages sink deep into the electorate and bite on the image of the governor.

Nyamita’s use of symbolism and juxtapositions to deconstruct the governor is tormenting and wreaking havoc in the Migori gubernatorial campaigns.

The Uriri MP has gone ahead to christen the governor Oyundi, a bird known for its laziness but love for food without working.

He has also used Ayacko’s found story of the line of Luo and Kalenjin lineage of Sinakuru Ma Dogman that explains the ancestry and the relationship of the two Nilotic communities.

But Ayacko is not also laying low and has nicknamed Nyamita as Othuogo because of his height and Chiwawa, the noisy pet dog known for barking loudest but cannot bite.

In a recent interview, Ayacko said ‘I have opponents. I have studied them, most of them are charlatans, propagandists. You know propaganda has a short life span. There is one member from a place called Uriri, who is a charlatan, sloganeer and a comedian,” he said.

Ayacko described Nyamita as a comedian who only entertains the audience and cannot win the gubernatorial elections.

“People laugh at his light comments but he will never show his track record that he is better than me. He will never have credentials that are better than mine. I am confident that one is an opponent like all we must have, but I am not worried about their behaviour. My record makes me confident, my experience makes me confident, and the fact is my dedication to serving my people is actual,” he said.

Ayacko said Nyamita should not be taken seriously and described him as a joker and entertainer.

“Mark Nyamita is somebody who should not be taken seriously by people who are serious. He is a charlatan, an entertainer and a joker. His sloganeers don’t operate within the political ethics. He is one person when ODM was done, he walked out in pursuit of personal benefit and wasn’t apologetic about it,” he said.

But Nyamita responded by accepting the nickname, saying it aptly captures his behaviour and nature.

“He has nicknamed Chiwawa, a name I have graciously accepted because it is a description of me. Chiwawa is a house dog and not a fighting dog, which describes me because I don’t fight. I don’t believe in physical fight. My dog will smell you from far, bark and warn me. That is what I exactly I am doing to the people of Migori, warning them over poor service delivery by the governor,” he said.

But following Ayacko’s recent interview and attack, Nyamita has gone ahead to cause more laughter by his response that has painted the governor negatively.

“Ayacko, you say I am crying, yes, because there are no drugs and roads. There are no services in the county. Ochilo bye,” he said.

Comedy

Migori County for decades was known as the mother and father of political violence and thuggery. The language best and most spoken in the county was violence.

Bloodbath and political deaths were the order of the day and never became news. It was normalised.

Political events were punctuated by violence and thuggery. Goons ran havoc and nearly all the political gatherings were disrupted.

Even the Orange Democratic Movement then party leader, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, was not spared. The respect was thrown out through the window.

Ayacko and former Cabinet Minister, the late Dalmas Otieno Anyango, during the battle for Rongo Constituency turned the area into Darfur, a war zone.

Ayacko and the immediate former Governor Okoth Obado were often embroiled in running battles.

But with the exit of Obado, the political violence and thuggery was to be between Ayacko and Suna West MP Peter Masara, who is also eyeing the gubernatorial seat.

Ayacko-Masara battle

Earlier in the year, after three years of calm, two days of political violence rocked Migori town following Ayacko and Masara engaging in a superiority battle.

At a funeral in the area, Ayacko got a dose of his own medicine and was forced to seek protection from the police station after chaos descended at the funeral they both attended.

At the funeral, Ochillo and Masara fought over protocol, with the latter demanding that he speak first before inviting the governor to speak.

Commotion broke out over the tussle on who should speak first and the tussle over the microphone, forcing the mourners to flee and police to intervene.

Ochilo later went to report the incident at a local police station and accused area Masara of allegedly orchestrating violence against him at the funeral.

Both Ochillo and Masara recorded statements with the police over the violence, with the County Police Boss Samwel Boit saying the fracas began over a confrontation about who should speak first.

“The chaos broke out over who should speak first at the funeral and when Masara attempted to take the microphone from Ochillo, violence broke out,” he said.

‘Ochillo blamed Masara for the chaos and asked him to campaign in peace instead of engaging in violence.

“I got the opportunity to condole with the family but the area MP came and created chaos. He allegedly brought 500 youths and they were armed with crude weapons. But as a governor who is peace-loving, I opted not to engage in political violence.”

But Masara denied, instead accusing Ochillo of getting police protection to intimidate his opponents.

“When the governor arrived and before he could even stay for 20 minutes, he took over the microphone that he wants to invite me to speak in my constituency. That is not protocol. The protocol requires that I am the one to invite him and not vice versa. I am the one to invite him in my constituency. He went for police reinforcement from Migori Central Police Station and four Land Cruisers carrying officers were brought to the funeral, but they only protected Ochilo.”

Comedy

Nyamita has changed the chapter of Migori politics when he ventured into comedy and technology-laced politics.

The use of symbolism in their speeches and figures of speech became the political engagement, and violence took the back stage.

Nyamita said “Ayacko recently called me Chiwawa. Chiwawa is an alert dog. And that is why I am alerting you of corruption cases. Ayacko is a German Shepherd because he is used to pangas and violence,”.

The bye moment

Nyamita has developed a political phrase and salutation that is gaining popularity with the electorate and audience.

In his new phrase, Nyamita engages the audience to wave bye to Ayacko in 2027.

In the phrase, Nyamita says Ochilo Ayacko bye and the audience responds with a wave saying bye, and the salutation is concluded with a catchy statement dhi dala koso odhi (going home or not going home)? and the crowd breaks out in laughter with a response, dhi dala (going home).

.The banter

The Nyamita and Ayacko banter has been on development, with each questioning one another’s performance.