By Hope Barbra
The expected Kasipul parliamentary by-election is shaping up to be the battle ground for Homa bay governor Gladys Wanga and her deputy Joseph Oyugi Magwanga.
The by-election is so crucial and strategic for both Wanga and Magwanga ahead of the 2027 general elections where they may face each other at the ballot box for the county seat.
For Wanga, the demise of the area MP Charles Ongondo Were left a vacuum and avoid that she must fill with her preferred candidate, Boyd Were, the son of the deceased.
Ongondo was the checkmate to Magwanga and the two were bitter rivals and rarely shared a podium. Ongondo was used by Wanga to checkmate, tame her deputy and control his political influence in the constituency.
For Magwanga, he wants to have a say in the constituency that he once represented for two terms before he decided to have a stab at the gubernatorial seat in 2017 and 2022 elections.
Kasipul remains his fulcrum if he intends to pursue his ambition and wants a new MP allied to him to take over from Ongondo.
This explains the recent meeting of some aspirants from the area who converged in Nairobi to champion a united front in the party nominations.
In Kasipul two teams have emerged with Wanga leading the call for direct ticket to Boyd Were.
While the other team is led by Magwanga wants the party to conduct a free and fair nomination without having to force a candidate on the electorates.
Last week, a secret meeting by a section of the aspirants in Nairobi agreed that the aspirants will campaign but will rally behind one of them should be the party fail to conduct nomination.
In a statement signed by Rateng Kotiende, Philip Aroko, Kepha Ogada, Okindo Majiwa, Robert Ouko and Collins Okeyo they resolved to work together, engage in constructive dialogue and promote peaceful campaigns in the area.
Magwanga welcomed the meeting saying it was important for the aspirants to chat their own destiny without any interference from the outside.
“The meeting is in the public knowledge.
There is nothing wrong if the aspirants meet and chart their own political course.
I know all the aspirants and all we ask for is a free and fair nomination to allow democracy to mature in the party,” he said.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is facing unprecedented moment in the coming by-election in Kasipul constituency as the local and national leadership are sharply divided over nomination of the candidate to fly the party ticket.
Top ODM leadership fearing a fall out in the party and possibility of losing the seat should they opt to give direct nomination ticket, have resolved to conduct nomination.
The party secretary Edwin Sifuna, during a live TV interview with Citizen Tv revealed that the excitement over ODM ticket was waning and that aspirants were opting for other parties are part of the concern the party have to contend with.
The differing political stand between Wanga and Magwanga was observed after the former visited the latter at his home with a view to seek his support for Boyd Were.
Wanga and her team tried to prevail over Magwanga to support Ongondo’s son, Boyd Were, but the latter was reluctant and did not commit to the proposal.
On the table, sources told Western Insight, that Wanga asked Magwanga to support Boyd and in return she would support his candidature for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Homa Bay County chairman seat.
Magwanga confirmed the visit saying they discussed various issues and neither denied or confirmed whether he was approached to support the son of his political nemesis and would return get the county ODM chair seat.
“The Governor visited me last night and we discussed several issues.
You are free to speculate whatever we discussed.
I have been having several visitors to my home and everyone is welcome,” he said.
Recently, Western Insight report that attempts by a section of MPs from Nyanza led by Wanga, who is ODM national Chairperson to have Boyd get direct nomination was hitting a snag and had split the party.
Wanga and the leaders recently presented Mr. Boyd Were at a local church and asked the residents to support his candidature to inherit his father’s seat.
Wanga, Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma, Senator Moses Kajwang, minority whip Millie Odhiambo and Roza Buyu (Kisumu West) said late Were’s son was the best suited family member to replace his father as Kasipul member of parliament.
The team promised to support Boyd who swore to stand strong with the people of Kasipul during his late father’s burial on his quest to become the next Constituency MP.
But the party top leadership hierarchy was uncomfortable with the move and want free and fair nomination conducted to avoid any fallout in the party.
“Kasipul constituency is volatile and that party is not ready to take any risk.
I do not see Were’s son getting endorsement from the party leadership.
ODM wants to contain any internal rebellion and that is why once election is called, they will prefer nomination to award of direct ticket,” said our sources.
According to the ODM brigade from Homa Bay and other parts of the County, Boyd was seen as the best person to inherit his late father’s seat
The seat has attracted Otiende, Boyd, Aroko, Majiwa, Okeyo Ouko Robert Ajwang Mabior, Omondi Swaleh, George Otieno, Victor Mbaka and Ogada.
