By Anderson Ojwang
Kisumu County has arguably produced two of the best governors in the last three electioneering calendar.
The first and founding Kisumu county Governor, Mr. Jack Nyanungo Ranguma, is a respected financial administrators having retired from Kenya Revenue Authority as Tax Commissioner. Ranguma was respected and honored for his administrative acumen and non-controversial nature.
He set the precedent and foundation on which the Kisumu has been flourishing and still draws a huge political constituency.
The second Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang Nyong’o is a respected scholar and a political reformer, who has been in the struggle for the constitutional dispensation.
Nyong’o commands respect within and without the county; he is a no-nonsense leader who loathes violence but prefers dialogue and peaceful settlements to emerging disputes.
But the recent statement by Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor, who is also a gubernatorial aspirant for the Kisumu county seat, at a church function raised red flags over a possible return of political thuggery in the region.
“Ka nitie joma dwaro tugo kod unity mar Luo Marwa.. An asewachonu ni koro adok yawo law firm mara. Ok ayawe for profit but mar ni ka yudhe wa ochwadi to omakgi to adhi yalone gi (If there are some people who want to play with the unity of the Luo nation. I am telling you, I will reopen my law firm not for business but to represent our political youths should they be arrested over violence)” he declared.
During the Ford-K, Liberal Democratic Party, the now defunct National Development Party (NDP) and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) era, youths allied to the party terrorized the residents of Kisumu and Nyanza with contrary opinions on politics and challenged the leadership of the late Raila Odinga.
During that time, Kisumu witnessed running battles between youths allied to former Kisumu mayor, the late Aloyce Oile, the leader of Baghdad Boys, against those supporting Raila.
Similarly, the supremacy battle between Raila and Siaya Governor James Orengo also put Kisumu on the edge, with political violence becoming a common feature in the city and the region.
But when Raila and his political opponents buried the hatchet, the running battles between the camps ceased and calm returned to the city.
Aduma, when contacted for comment over his statement, did not pick our calls or reply to text messages.
Aduma also declared that those who are opposed to and do not pledge allegiance to Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Odinga as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader will not be elected to any political seat in Nyanza.
“Onge kom ma ibiro yudo e pinywa ka ok iluwori kod Oburu e piny Luo ka. (There is no political seat you will be elected to in Nyanza if you do not pledge allegiance and respect Dr Oburu Odinga as the ODM party leader)” he said.
Kisumu county had in the past been flagged as a violent region,
