By Hope Barbra
Over a decade ago, former Rarieda MP Raphael Tuju, Rangwe MP Dr. Shem Ochuodho, and former Rongo MP, the late Dalmas Otieno, among others, paid a high price for going against the political grain in Nyanza.
The struggle and sacrifice by these leaders for being alternative voices in the region were then dismissed as the croaks of a frog that would not stop cows from drinking water in the pans.
They were viewed as betrayers and became pariahs in the community’s political dispensation. The various development projects they had initiated were disregarded for petty and cheap political gains.
Even though Tuju, Ochuodho, Otieno, and others lost subsequent elections and shifted their attention from local politics, their lone voices are gaining prominence and setting a new political precedent.
But as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) celebrates its 20th anniversary, those lone voices have come back to haunt it — and it is no longer rosy but scary for the party.
The voices are becoming louder, and with the Ugunja and Kasipul parliamentary by-elections scheduled for November, the test is real.
For the first time in ODM’s history in Nyanza politics, the battle for the ODM ticket was a poor shadow of its former self. It never generated the excitement and revenue for the party as it did in the past.
For instance, in Ugunja Constituency, the party ticket only attracted three aspirants for the ODM primaries. The ODM nomination was won by Moses Omondi, former area NG-CDF manager and a close ally and confidant of Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
But in a turn of events, the seat has, interestingly, attracted ten candidates who were recently cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to contest for the seat.
Similarly, in Kasipul, 17 aspirants had expressed interest in the ODM certificate, but only five participated in the nomination, which was controversially won by Boyd Were. Boyd is the son of the slain and immediate former area MP, Charles Ongondo Were.
For Kasipul, ODM’s Were is facing a strong team of nine candidates drawn from independent and other political parties.
The rush by political parties to present candidates in the ODM stronghold is an indication of emerging political space in Nyanza.
Previously, in Nyanza, acquiring an ODM nomination certificate was a guarantee of an elective seat, but currently, this is not the reality on the ground.
This was witnessed when a high-powered ODM team and machinery landed in Kasipul to escort Boyd to present his papers to the IEBC.
ODM displayed what could be viewed as a show of might — or panic — as it marshaled its top leadership and supporters from other parts of the country.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga wrote on her X handle:
“The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) proudly presents Boyd Were Ong’ondo as our official candidate for the upcoming Kasipul Parliamentary by-election!
This morning, we stood firmly with him as he presented his nomination papers to the IEBC in Kosele. Our strong delegation was led by DPL Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and included DPL Godfrey Osotsi, Sec. Gen. Senator Edwin Sifuna, Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, MPs Peter Kaluma, Fatuma Full Network, Dr. Joyce Osogo Bensuda, Senators Moses Kajwang, Eddy Muok, Ledama Ole Kina, and a host of other leaders and residents of Kasipul Constituency.
The journey to 27th November has now officially begun! Thank you, Kasipul, for your overwhelming show of love and confidence in ODM and our incoming Kasipul MP, Hon. Boyd Were!”
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang also recognized the ODM machinery that landed in Kasipul and hoped their presence would sway the public to elect the party’s candidate.
Kajwang wrote on his Facebook page:
“The ODM machinery is in Kasipul Constituency to root for Boyd Were, our candidate in the upcoming by-election. The primaries are over, and we must now work in accord to deliver victory on 27 November.”
In Kasipul, the conspicuous absence of Homa Bay Deputy Governor and former area MP Oyugi Magwanga was telling and a pointer to changing political dynamics in the region.
Magwanga and Wanga differed over the ODM primary, with the former supporting Newton Ogada while the governor supported Were.
Earlier attempts by Wanga to convince Magwanga to support Boyd failed, and the two have now differed openly.
Reportedly, Wanga asked Magwanga to support Boyd, and in return, she would support his candidature for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Homa Bay County chairman seat.
KANU candidate for Ugunja, Mr. Chris Budo, said Nyanza was witnessing an exciting moment and that a new wave of political democracy was emerging in the region.
“The emerging political climate in the region will allow the electorate to elect leaders based on performance and what they offer — not just on political affiliation,” he said.
Budo added that the opening up of political space in Nyanza was good for the growth of democracy and accountability by the political class to the electorate.
