By Chak Rachar

With the 2012 general elections dates still undecided by the concerned authorities with both sides still pulling each other, one of the constituencies in luoland which is being looked at keenly by opinion shapers, political pundits and political stakeholders in both within and without the entire luoland is Nyando Constituency.

The constituency which is associated majorly with rice farming is one constituency that is said not to be taking any Member of Parliament twice in parliament since 1992 with the advent of multi-party politics.

It should be noted that the constituency presently has nine civic wards plus fourteen locations with the major clans within the constituency being;Kochogo ,Kabonyo , Kobura and Kakola and Wawidhi clans.

Every elections year clans plays a very vital role in determining who is to be the next area MP with many voters saying the constituency is meant for an MP to be elected once.

The constituency which was carved out from the former greater Kisumu Constituency is within Kisumu County together with Muhoroni, Nyakach, Kisumu Town East and West Constituencies and Kisumu Rural is presently represented in parliament by a first timer Fredrick Outa who took over from former Kenya Railways Managing Director Eric Nyamunga who many say is not keen to contest the seat.

Presently there are so many aspirants salivating for this seat with Key among them; the current Lamu Town Clerk Patrick Lumumba Ouya, East Africa Legislative Assembly Member of Parliament and who has been the area MP before Clarkson Otieno Karan, A Marketing Executive with the Lake Basin Deverlopment Authority Julius Nyadiang’o,a Commisioner with Kenya Revenue Authority Owino Ogendo, a Missionary Jared Okello amongst others are the key people who have openly declared their candidacy for the seat.

According to Ouya, he has opted to go for the seat due to what he says has been the marginalization of rice farmers and failure to get markets for their rice produce which he says get spoilt in their farms due to luck of market.

“This is our only commercial activity and just as it has scaled the heights for many people who does the same, I will make sure I prosper them with their faming” Ouya added.

Ogendo however on his part says that his main concern is the use of CDF fund which he alleges has not benefited the entire Nyando voters,

“I will make sure that the fund is fully utilized and reaches the entire constituency, I will treat all Nyando voters equally” he added.

Karan however says with the CDF flowing within the constituency, there is no reason why Nyando can not empower its residents like in other constituencies.

“ I have been the area MP before and I know what bedevils the constituency, there is need to improve girl child education as well as uplifting the entire education system within the constituency” he says.

He adds that his critics should not gauge him during their time in parliament and the current crop of legislatures saying time and circumstances are totally really different.

“I was an MP when there was no CDF funding and the MP was everything within the constituency and in spite all that I did what I could despite the limited financial resources I had,to say that I never did anything is a lie both inside and outside parliament” he adds.

Karan says that with an international airport in Kisumu and the devolved system of government ,commercial activities within the area will really uplift the standards of living and this is of paramount concern to him.

After the annexing of the constituency from the then Larger Winam Constituency ,Peter Anyumba was its first MP serving between 1983-1988, followed by Miruka Owuor between 1988-1992 then Clarkson Otieno Karan 1992-1997 ,the late Paul Otita 1997-2002 then Eric Nyamunga 2007-2007 and presently Fred Outa.

Just a profile of aspirants who have so far declared their candidacy for the seat;

CLARKSON OTIENO KARAN;

He is presently a member of parliament within East Africa Legislative Assembly.

He was the area MP between 1992-1997 and were some of the young men the late luo political doyen Jaramogi Odinga Oginga went to parliament with.

He lost the seat to the then a political novice in the name of the late Paul Otita in what was seen to have been orchestrated by his defiance of having had supported the late Kijana Wamalw and James Orengo led wing of the then Ford Kenya party who had wrestled the party from the current Prime Minister Raila Odinga who later decamped to the National Democratic Party.

Together with all the luo MPs who took sides with the late Wamalwa like Orengo James and Joe Donde amongst others never made it back to parliament.

He was confined to the political limbo not until 2020 when he campaigned vigorously to Narc Kenya after failing to secure nomination ticket tom parliament via NARC.

He was later rewarded as a nominated councilor and subsequently became Kisumu Mayor and he never took long as Councillors ganged up against him and Narc revoked his nomination after it became evident that he was leaning towards President Mwai Kibaki’s side after Kibaki had fallen out with Raila.

During the 2007 general elections he teamed up with the then Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju to campaign for President Mwai Kibaki and he was later rewarded with nomination to the East Africa Legislative Assembly.

Karan hails from Kobura Clan and has patched up all the political difference he has had initially with Raila Odinga

He is always said to be a lucky man getting “the right things at the wrong time”.

PATRICK LUMUMBA OUYA .

He is India schooled and presently the Lamu Town Clerk ,

He contested the seat in 1997 on the then Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o and Charity Ngilu fronted Social Democratic Party and lost miserably.\

His major advantage over his rivals is that he is on good books with the top ODM leadership right from the Prime Miniter Raila Odinga , James Orwengo and Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Ouya hails from the Kabonyo tribe.

ERICK OPON NYAMUNGA

He comes from the Wawidhi Clan,

Its not clear whether he is likely to go for the seat though he has sent signals by most of the time sending contributions to most activities within the area.

After failing to defend his seat in 2007 via ODM party ticket ,he jumped to Narc and came second to the current MP fred Outa.

He seem to have been disgusted by his failure to have been given the party ticket yet he was one of the leading doors of the party.

He is still a force to reckon with within the constituency and still commands a number of sizeable votes.

JARED OKELLO

He is a missionary who mostly involves himself in Christian related works.

He is a very powerful orator and always leaves his audience reeling in laughter while talking.

He says that his vision to the entire residents of the constituency is poverty alleviation among the youth and the women.

OGENDO OWINO

The short, stout and burly Commissioner with the Kenya Revenue Authority can be said to presently enjoying the support of both the youths and the women within the constituency.

He is a powerful orator and can sustain his own campaigns due to his strong financial base.

He hails from the same clan as Eng.Nyamunga.

He is a combative and a hard tackling politician and he is likely to give his fellow aspirants a run for their money.

He is in good books with the top ODM leadership.

FRED OUTA

He hails from Kabonyo clan ,he seemed to have lost the confidence most of his voters had on him when he was elected.

His critics says that the CDF fund is not well managed and done selective a fact he has constantly and always denied.

The critics further tell him that the constituency is a one term constituency since 1992 and he should prepare for an exit.

Whether he will stand tall and manages what is said to be impossible and he defies all odds and retains the seat come 2012 is still a puzzle.

JULIUS NYADIANG’O

He is a former Marketting Manager with Sony Sugar then Kisumu Water Services Company nad Presently a marketer with the Lake Basin Development Authority.

Nyadiang’o also hails from Kabonyo and his critics says that he is using his position at LBDA to create rapport with rice farmers but he maintains that it is his duty to help his people.

He enjoys massive support from the youths and women within the constituency.

ENDS