By Anderson Ojwang’
For eons, misfortunes have shaped the political landscape by either catapulting or destroying the political career of various politicians globally.
In the last two months, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has undergone what can be termed as misfortunes which could either promote or diminish his political stature ahead of the 2027 general election.
Osotsi’s political misfortunes are ballooning into a national debate and are currently shaping the narrative within the political divide.
According to Siaya Governor James Orengo, Osotsi has been a very unfortunate person in the recent past.
“Osotsi and I were chased away from a press conference at a Kisumu hotel by over 500 youths. We had to sneak through an escape route to safety. Even before the dust settled, Osotsi escaped a plane accident after they crash-landed at Wilson Airport. Finally, while in Kisumu, he was attacked and left injured by goons over his political inclination. He has witnessed sad moments,” he said.
Politically, ODM recently sacked him as the deputy party leader during the recent special delegates conference in Nairobi, after he aligned with the Secretary General Edwin Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi faction.
Which political formation was ODM blaming for the attack?
The move by ODM to distance itself from the youths who attacked Osotsi and place the blame on a different political formation is likely to have far-reaching political implications not only in Nyanza but also in Western Kenya.
Currently, other opposition parties including Wiper, DCP, Jubilee among others have no serious ground in the region and have not visited the region for any political function.
ODM stated the youths have never been members of the party and in the previous regime were allied to the Jubilee Party and currently work for a different political formation.
“The reputation of the party should not be dragged into political thuggery and violence witnessed in Kisumu, and those involved should carry their own cross,” the statement read.
Nyanza has become a battleground between ODM and its partner, UDA, and by distancing itself, ODM is sending direct suspicion on which formation to blame.
Vihiga gubernatorial contest boost
Osotsi has declared his intent for the Vihiga gubernatorial race in the 2027 general elections. His attack in Kisumu resulted in demonstrations in Luanda and other parts of the county.
The attack has not only boosted his image but also enhanced his support from the ground. As a member of Linda Mwananchi, a faction in ODM opposed to the pre-election coalition with President William Ruto’s UDA party, which resulted in his sacking as deputy party leader of ODM in the recent convention, the Senator could be riding high from the misfortunes.
Vihiga, which has been an ODM stronghold, now holds no senior position in the ODM party, and Osotsi’s misfortunes may swing the county’s politics to his side.
The Luo-Luhya unity at stake
The Luhya and the Luo have for three decades developed a political unity, with ODM having the majority of elected leaders from the region.
The Luhya community has in past elections supported and voted for the late Raila Amolo Odinga overwhelmingly.
The fear from the Kisumu attack on Osotsi could have triggered a tribal backlash, but leaders from both regions have moved to calm the tension.
Osotsi said the attack was aimed at creating a political rift and tension between the two communities but has failed to achieve that objective.
Osotsi, in his press statement, said the incident should not be used to stigmatize the region as it was an isolated incident.
ODM said Kisumu is a peaceful city and the isolated case of thuggery should not be used to undermine investment.
ODM party also warned that anybody trying to drive a wedge between its members and the neighboring community over the incident must be called out, as it is far from the truth.
ODM said the unity between the Luo and Luhya communities has existed for decades and any attempts to bring division will be rejected at all cost.
The party’s Deputy Secretary General, Catherine Omanyo, appealed for calm among the two communities and the political leaders as the police carry out investigations.
She said ODM is united and any attempts to divide it through such machinations will not succeed.
“ODM allows and propagates freedom of speech and association. We are a democratic party and allow divergent views. Where we do not agree with them fully, we still respect their opinion in the spirit of freedom of association as embedded in the constitution,” she said.
Linda Mwananchi gain
The attack on Osotsi has perfectly been a gain for Linda Mwananchi in Kisumu and Western Kenya ahead of their soon-to-be-held political rally in the lake city.
Currently, Orengo has been enjoying a political moment in Kisumu, traversing the city streets addressing huge crowds, who are fast aligning with their political agenda.
Linda Ground is currently struggling in the region, and the attack on the Vihiga Senator has done more harm than good to its ratings in the region.
“I want to thank the people of Kisumu for the support they have shown to us. We are going to hold the mother of all rallies in Kisumu. We are going to field a presidential candidate, and we will not support President Ruto,” he said.
Similarly, the attack on Osotsi has impacted negatively on the previous gains made by President Ruto, and now the party must go back to re-engineer itself in the region.
With only 16 months to the general election, the Kisumu attack is likely to be one of the campaign agendas in the region and will be a double-edged sword as regional politics gain momentum.
