News Anaklysis By Leo Odera Omolo
MISTRUST, intrigues, undercutting and seemingly endless political squabbles is causing ripples with the smooth running of the Orange Democratic Movement inside Luo-Nyanza.
The source of discontent and mistrust, is the presence of numerous power brokers claiming to be the confidants of the party leader Raila Amolo Odinga.
Also ganged up as power brokers are members of the moribund Luo Council of Elders, particularly its chairman “Ker” Meshack Ogalo Riaga, who is allegedly meddling in the affairs if the various constituencies.
On the other side are the defeated former MPs from the region, who are being accused of peddling bad rumors against the incumbent. Some of the former appeared not to have accepted the electorate verdict of December 2007. And the situation seemed to have been aggravated by the party grass elections last year.
In Kasipul-Kabondo, the area MP Oyugi Magwanga was recently forced to attend a funeral of an elder in the company of four armed policemen following constant threats by youth allied to the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders. “Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo to the charging of the mourners., who felt the MP should be left alone to carry his duties and must not be antagonized by anyone who is not elected by the people in a popular vote.
The near ugly incident Qwest Kanmagak, Kionyango Location. The MP had gone to attend the burial of the father of the Miglori T.T.C. Princiopal, Mr. Paul Kokelo. MZEE Isaiah Okelo had died of natural illness.
THE mp AND THE “Ker” exchanged harsh words before a huge crowd of mourners with the MP Maguwanga challenging the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders in his face to resign his position, which is mainly a cultural and tradition leadership, if he wished to join politics. Otherwise, he should confined his activities to preaching cultural matters but not to indulge in politics..
The two had another harsh exchange in Kodera Location in West Kasiopul during the burial of Mr. Robert Ng’wena, the CDF chairman., where the “Ker” was reported to have told the mourners that political thuggery in the area must come to an immediate end.But the Luo Council of Elder quietly slipped out of the funeral venue as soon as the MP arrived, and there was no confrontation, though the MP refuted most of the allegations made by Mzee Riaga Ogalo.
Some of the current Luo MPs have complained that they were being held hostages, and not allowed to speak their minds freely. Or made comment on local and national issues affecting the nation, they are censured and attacked publicly by power brokers, who are claiming to have the ears of the Prime Minister.”We are facing a very hard time both in and out of the August House.” remarked one MP who wished to maintain his anonymity. . “we are always referred to derogatively as greenhorns, political novices, and told to shut up.”
“Anyone who speaks his mind, is simply dismissed as an agent of William Ruto, or sympathizer of Mt. Kenyan politicians.”, the MP added. He wondered as to for how long they are going to continuing singing hero worshipping a fellow MP, and yet they were voted in to represent the view of the electorate.
The discontent does not end up only with the MPs but also with the perception that Luo Ministers in the grand coalition government are making no significant contribution towards the uplifting of standard of living among the regions population. Their only contribution is just about to sing about polluting the air hero worshipping of Raila Odinga.
”We want them to tell us how they are going to empower the community economically and not polluting the air in the area with empty political slogan through valueless rhetoric’s. People are wallowing in abject poverty, suffering from hunger and experiencing acute shortage of food. Grains. Anyone who raises complaints id dismissed as disloyal to the Prime Minister” said a civic leader in Homa-Bay.
One politician recently likened the flags flown by Luo Ministers in the grand coalition government like those flags which are being flown on the bonnets of vehicles belonging to the heads of Legio Maria and Israel Roho native churches in Luo Nyanza.By this, he meant the flags are empty with nothing tangible to offer to the suffering members of the community. These words were used during a function attended by one of the Luo Ministers. Who never protested or raised any objection.
In other sentiments, members of the community wanted to hear good news like the revival of the stalled economic projects, resuscitation of the ailing sugar factories, improvement of the fishing industries, construction of good feeder and access roads, renovation of schools and improvement of the fallen standard of education in the region.
There are confrontation and undercuttings reported in constituencies like Nyakach, Rongo, Rangwe,Kasipula-Kabondo,Karachuonyo and Kisumu Town West. The places are full of power brokers and the defeated former MPs who still maintain contact with the ODM party headquarters.,
The electorate on the other side are demanding that their MPs must be left alone to perform their duties of passing legislations and development their constituencies in a free atmosphere ,which are devoid of gross interference from any quarters..
“Branding other leaders as being sycophants of so and so, must stop if the ODM hope to remain a float on course for election victory in the year 2012, otherwise the party could be disintegrate and evaporate within a year or so. Said one civic leader in Kasipul-Kabondo who advised the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders to operate in a dignified manner and to stop forthwith behaving like a youth winger. Moreover his office of the”Ker” must remain dignified all the time for cultural nopurishment.”
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
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Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:12:09 -0800 [06:12:09 AM CST]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: ODM IN CROSSROAD IN LUO NYANZA AS INTERNAL SQUABBKLES INTENSIFIED BETWEEN MPS AND POWER BROKERS.