Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

THOUSANDS were stunned as two populist aspirants for the lucrative position of Homa-Bay County governor clashed at a tension packed funeral gathering.

The two aspirants were Cyprian otieno Awiti a former country director of Marie Stoppie Clinics and Dr. Mark Matunga an executive with Miscrosoft Computer Africa.

The incident occurred at Anding’o-Kanyakwar village in Kokwanyo Location, Kasipul-Kabondo in Rachuonyo South district.

It was during the burial of Andrew Abonyo Aloys, a retired former production manager with the Eggerton University. At the time of his death a couple of weeks ago the late Abonyo was a businessman in Nakuru town.

This was the first occasion when the two aspirants both whom have laid the claim on he Homa-Bay governorship in the forthcoming general election met on a face-to-face encounter at a public function.

The venue was in Awiti’s backyard because his rural homestead is located at Mawego Roman Catholic Mission which is situated only about three kilometers. He was accompanied by a large delegation from his Kobuya sub-clan owing to the fact the deceased was his brother-in-law. Awiti hails from eastern part of Karachuonyo constituency in Rachyuonyo North district and had a huge cheering crowd in attendance.

Dr Matunga who hails from Mbita in Suba region also within Homa-Bay County attended the funeral as friend and a guest of the late Abony’s brother Otieno Aloys a prominent businessman in both Kisumu and Nairobi, and was alone with nor cheering party.

When he took to the podium to address the mourner Dr. Matunga delivered a hard hitting statement against unnamed people whom he accused as being recycled back to the public service after long they had tired, saying these people were tired and spent forces who should retired honorably.

Talking about the devolution of power Dr. Matunga caused a prolonged laughter when he said that the County governance under the new constitutional dispensation would require youthful and energetic leaders. And not tired and retired people.

There is a big task laying ahead for the County governor and his team and it requires people with vision and foresight like the late T.J. Mboya. It will need people with the ability and with both local, national and international outlook who could go out there and attract funding from national and international financial agencies. He said if elected, he would improve education, infrastructure.

He stunned the audience with his oratory gesture and after condoling the family of the late Abonyo their relatives and friends, Matunga who appered to have been worked by the earlier remarks made by a civic leader Coun. Orao who told the mourner that Cyprian Awiti is the only man who fit for the governor and there should be nobody else. Coun Urgent Dr. Matunga to distribute more computers to schools in the region and leave the field open for Awiti to become the first governor of Homa-Bay County

Apart from Dr. Matunga and Councilor Orao nobody else talked about politics and the funereal gathering ended on a peaceful note, but only after the man from Mbita had caused prolonged laughter among the mourners with his skillful delivery of the controversial speech.

Ends