By Anderson Ojwang

President William Ruto can arguably be said to have undertaken more development projects in Nyanza than any other previous regime and presidents.

Ruto’s legacy for Nyanza will be credited on the Standard Railway Gauge and other infrastructural projects in all the counties in the region.

For President Ruto, Nyanza has become “a key political destination” as he prepares to defend his seat in the 2027 general election, hence his move toward a pre-election coalition pact with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

His forage in the region has been paying dividends, but he is fast finding himself in the late Raila Odinga political trap of ownership and cobweb.

Raila was in a political cobweb under tight control of his close allies, MPs and insiders that locked out professionals and genuine supporters. This contributed to voter apathy and loss of touch with professionals and the ground to some extent.

Raila became a political valve for use by the insiders, advisors and insiders for their own political gain at will and wish while negating his presidential ambition.

The MPs and the insiders hung on Raila’s coattails to be re-elected and elected and blocked their opponents from access.

This explains why the majority of the current MPs and leadership are unpopular.

President Ruto is currently walking and finding himself in Raila’s cobweb, which is denying him access to the genuine professionals who want to support and offer other services to his campaign.

That is why with the demise and exit of Raila from the political scene, President Ruto has become the natural replacement and valve for their political survival. It’s not about Ruto’s vote but their survival in the 2027 elections.

In President Ruto’s tours and visits of the region, the professionals and opinion leaders have been shoved to the periphery while the MPs and insiders have fenced the president off from the opponents.

For instance, at the recent Kisumu State Lodge meeting between the president and leaders from the region, some of the opinion leaders who have the links, networks and the people were relegated to the periphery.

Former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma and former Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura were peripheral in the president’s functions and meetings in Kisumu while they have networks and people to support Ruto’s re-election.

PS Oluga’s thanksgiving service

At Ruto’s recent attendance of Health Permanent Secretary Ouma Oluga’s homecoming and thanksgiving service, former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, who is the most popular politician in Rarieda, was blocked from addressing the crowd.

Gumbo has contested for the Siaya gubernatorial seat in the past two elections and narrowly lost to the ODM candidates due to Raila’s political influence.

When his name was mentioned, the masses went gaga, leaving the public in awe. He was finally allowed to say jambo and the message was home.

MPs’ Agenda in Ruto’s tours

Luo MPs have been pushing to have presidential visits reserved for elected leaders exclusively; this does not work in favor of Ruto.

This is the script that played out during Raila’s era and currently the MPs have employed it successfully in Ruto’s tours, which is fast alienating the opinion leaders and professionals.

In Kisumu, former governor Jack Ranguma, Ken Obura and Fred Ouda were barred from addressing crowds, but these are solid individuals with mass support on the ground and cannot be ignored.

The biggest miscalculation is to ignore professionals who have influence and are capable of adding value, but MPs feel they will be overshadowed by brilliant ideas.

The Siaya Visit

President Ruto’s tours of Siaya were the hallmark of the script and display of theatrics by the MPs.

The MPs one after another spent time castigating Siaya Governor James Orengo over his opposition to Ruto’s re-election and did little to market the president’s agenda and his projects to the masses.

In the Siaya visit, local MPs were busy abusing each other and fronting the exit of Orengo instead of sharing programs that would impact locals or deliver the community out of poverty.

At the Gem function, MPs and leaders apologized to President Ruto over the failure by Orengo to attend the function and promised to elect a new governor in the 2027 general election.

MP Sam Atandi said in 2027, Siaya will have “a new governor,” and that Orengo will be thrown into the political dustbin.

“We are not fearing anybody. We want to announce here today that we are going to elect a new governor for Siaya,” he said.

Atandi said Orengo has failed to deliver on his mandate and has “no development record” to show residents.

Leaders present apologized to the President for Orengo’s absence and promised to unseat him in the next general election.

“Mr. President, we want to apologize. It is sad that the Governor seeks development from you, you honor the request, but he turns around to criticize you. We implore you to ignore him,” said Ugenya MP David Ochieng.

In contrast, Kasipul MP Boyd Were aptly amplified Ruto’s agenda, which resonated well with the audience and that is why Ruto agreed to his requests.

UDA brigades

President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) team in the region is a deflated political machine that neither sways nor controls any political block in the region.

They are viewed as the bitter lot who fell out with Raila and found solace in Ruto but have no grassroots following.

This group also feels disenfranchised when professionals and opinion leaders want to access the president and are employing a similar strategy to that of ODM MPs.

Way forward

President Ruto in his game should reach out to the voters directly without having to depend on the groups to solidify his base.

By Anderson Ojwang

The defiant Siaya Governor is already at Usenge, where President William Ruto is expected to launch the construction of a Sh500M pier by the Kenya Ports Authority.

Orengo walked majestically to where his rivals were waiting to receive the President and greeted them. One of them joked, “Bye, Orengo,” and they broke into laughter. They exchanged pleasantries with opponents, including Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, among others.

On Saturday, Orengo gave a wide berth to President Ruto’s function in Gem; instead, he opted to attend a burial in Uyoma, where he was accompanied by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino. Speaking in Siaya, Orengo invited his political opponents to a “battle royale,” saying they were bound to lose.

“Wadwa yuare gi jogi ka bim gi guok… I am not scared. Luos must be proud. You don’t walk into a place like a beggar, but as someone who is in their own home,” he said. Orengo said they will stand for the truth and will not go begging for support, questioning the direction President Ruto is taking.

“Ruto is taking us to a sinking ship. I am urging everybody that joining Ruto is a disaster and an abomination. It cannot work,” he said. He questioned why the ODM leadership was in a hurry to form a coalition without structures, terming it “suicidal.”

“We will stand for the truth to the end. If one comes to seek the hand of your daughter, he must declare what he has brought. How will he listen to you if he is already cohabiting with your daughter?” he posed.

At the Gem function, MPs and leaders apologized to President Ruto for Orengo’s failure to attend the function and promised to elect a new governor in the 2027 general election. For President Ruto, Nyanza has become “a key political destination” as he prepares to defend his seat in the 2027 general election; hence his move toward a pre-election coalition pact with the Orange Democratic Movement (脫DM).

“I thank you, people of Siaya, for giving me the hardworking Opiyo Wandayi. You have also given me the Assembly Budget Committee Chairman, Sam Atandi. We have budgeted Sh4.5 billion for roads in Siaya. We are working to transform Siaya and other parts of the country,” he said in Gem, Siaya County.

MP Sam Atandi said that in 2027, Siaya will have “a new governor,” and that Orengo will be thrown into the “political dustbin.”

“We are not fearing anybody. We want to announce here today that we are going to elect a new governor for Siaya,” he said. Atandi added that Orengo has failed to deliver on his mandate and has “no development record” to show residents.”

Leaders present apologized to the President for Orengo’s absence and promised to unseat him in the next general election.

“Mr. President, we want to apologize. It is sad that the Governor seeks development from you, you honor the request, but he turns around to criticize you. We implore you to ignore him,” said Ugenya MP David Ochieng.

By Anderson Ojwang

The recently elected Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Migori branch office is a time bomb waiting to explode. If anything, it was an act of appeasement before the storm.

The window dressing through consensus building to elect the new Migori branch office may not hold for long, and the party could find itself back at the drawing board.

To appease the gubernatorial aspirants and Governor Ochillo Ayacko, the consensus building led by ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohammed settled on electing all the aspirants as branch officials.

The local party leaders agreed to adopt a consultative approach instead of a competitive vote, and this relegated non-elected leaders to the periphery of the branch leadership.

Governor Ayacko was endorsed and elected as the branch chairman, while his two main opponents, Uriri MP Mark Nyamita, was elected the treasurer, and Suna West MP Peter Masara was elected branch Secretary.

Interestingly, Masara and Ayacko have been engaged in a running battle in the county in the recent past and do not see eye to eye. Similarly, Nyamita has also emerged as the strongest challenger to the Ayacko regime and has declared his intent for the gubernatorial seat.

The election of the trio as branch officials also locks out any aspirant for the governor seat on the ODM ticket, going by the composition of the office.

The power play was also in place in the filling of the other seats. Ayacko’s deputy, Joseph Mahiri, the Migori Deputy Governor, was elected Deputy Secretary. Mahiri, from the vote-rich Kuria, will be checkmating Masara on behalf of Ayacko, his boss, as they prepare to defend the seat in the 2027 elections.

Nyamita was among the ODM MPs who faced the party disciplinary committee in 2023 for openly working with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA). The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) then announced a decision to expel five members.

The NEC, in a statement to newsrooms after a meeting chaired by the then party leader, the late Raila Odinga, and then National Chairman John Mbadi, said the decision was arrived at following the consideration of a report by the disciplinary committee which had been looking into the conduct of some members.

The five are Members of Parliament Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Felix Odiwuor ‘Jalang’o’ (Lang’ata), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda. They were accused of violating the party Constitution and the Political Parties Act 2011 by openly associating with and supporting activities of a rival political outfit, as well as opposing lawful decisions made by party organs.

The ODM party hence said they are “deemed to have resigned” and will now “commence the process of removing them from the register.”

Rongo MP Paul Abuor and Nyamita, who also faced similar allegations, were—on the other hand—fined Ksh 1 million each to be paid within 60 days. The party said the two lawmakers appeared before its disciplinary committee in person and explained reasons for their actions; they were further directed to offer a written apology to the party within 7 days.

In the new list of ODM branch officials, Abuor was missing; instead, Rongo constituency, through Jesse Ogolla, got the slot of the Youth Representative.

In a move to appease other constituencies, the sitting MPs were elected to the office, with Walter Owino (Awendo MP) elected as Organizing Secretary, while Tom Odege (Nyatike MP) was picked as Deputy Chairman.

The position for Persons Living with Disabilities Representative went to Dennitah Ghati, the former Migori Woman Representative. Also named were Mary Nchagwa as Assistant Treasurer and Mwita Maroa as Deputy Organizing Secretary.

Junet, who is also Suna East MP, defended the consensus model, saying it is anchored in the party constitution.

“The ODM constitution allows for consensus as a legitimate method of electing leaders. What we are witnessing today is a demonstration of unity and maturity within the party,” said Junet.

He urged leaders across Migori County to remain united and prioritize peace to foster development and strengthen the party ahead of future political engagements.

While Governor Ayacko called for unity in his acceptance speech, this could be a tall order going by the bitter political rivalry between him and his opponents.

“Elective and party positions can only be held by one person at a time. We must, therefore, unite behind ODM as we engage with other like-minded parties, including UDA, ahead of the 2027 General Election,” Ayacko said.

A recent standoff in Migori town between Ayacko and Masara plunged the town into violence and left six people shot.

Masara said then, “I will look for Ochillo Ayacko even in his bedroom. Whichever way, I must teach him a lesson. I don’t fear Ochillo. Let him come out and face me head-on. I am ready for the drama and unrest if that is what it will take me to see him out of that seat.”

But Ayacko responded by terming Masara a busybody, stating he will not engage him but will focus on delivering his mandate to the electorate.

“I won’t engage my opponents because I am a duly elected leader with responsibilities in my office. When campaign time comes, I’ll be out to show the electorate the developments I promised and delivered. I don’t have time for busybodies who have forgotten that they are still responsible for certain seats they are still sitting on while chasing mine.”