Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
THE Interim Electoral and Boundaries Commission {IEBC} team that visited Luo-Nyanza last week and earlier this week had a mixed reception and near violence in some parts of the region.
The visit revealed that there existed in many parts of the region some kind of deeply rooted suspicion among the leaders, differences between sub-clans and clans and diverse community.
There have resurfaced numerous accusation and counter accusation of political marginalization of minority communities against the weak and smaller communities. Claims of gross interference by powerful politician interfering in the political activities of other regions he they are aliens.
The mission degenerated into a lot of controversies myriad problems and complaints surfaced about one prominent family, which has the grip hold and political clout, but misusing its influence by imposing unqualified leaders on population.
The presentation which shocked hundreds of residents of Ksumu City was that of the former cabinet Minister Matthews Onyango Midika, who advised the residents of Siaya an Southern Nyanza regions, that as investors, they are welcome to come and invest in Kisumu City and do business like anyone else, but they must desist from interfering in local politics. “These people had their own counties and therefore they should go there and do politics. We do not want outsiders to come here and impose certain leaders of their own choice on us”.
Midika’s sentiments were quickly viewed by the local political pundits and observers like as targeting members of the Odinga family, which had a grip hold both business and political clout over the Kisumu County residents. Though Midika refrained from names calling, the message was clear and well taken.
Another shocking presentation at Kisumu was that of Mrs Grace Akumu, a parliamentary aspirant in Nyakach, who revealed that the area has a population of 208,391 and yet the area is currently represented by only one MP. This is unfair and clear under representation. She demanded that Nyakach should sub-divided two more parliamentary constituencies one representing Nyakach, Lower region and Nyakach South.
Mrs Akumu also disclosed that there existed a serious boundary dispute between residents of Belgut and Nyakach people, although the demarcation of Sondu Market took place many years ago by decisions of the Provincial Administration in both Nyanza and Rift valley
They have flagrantly refused to implement what was agreed by both communities. Such delays had paved the way for Ahero and Muhoroni to be declared Town Councils leaving behind Sondu Market which is much larger in size and more qualified for upgrading with a lot of facilities. She also reported that another dispute existed between Nyakach and Nyando districts, which needs to be addressed the earliest.
There nearly were punching matches held when residents of Waware sub-location in Sakwa East location discovered that their sub-location has disappeared from the electoral maps altogether, with three other sub-locations in Kogelo. Kogelo and Waware forms what is called Sakwa east Location in Awendo district. But in the light of information recently published by the IEBC, Wawe sub-location which has been in existence since 1926 was merged with Kadera Kuoyo, Kanyasrega in the Sakwa North Location, while three sub-locations of Kogelo were regrouped together and merged with Sakwa South Location.
The residents have faulted and blamed two senior politicians who are aspiring for the various elective positions in the newly created Awendo district for having messed them up. Awendo district was hived out of Rongo by the defunct Andrew Ligale led commission which had created a new parliamentary constituency separated from Rongo. The politicians are blamed for having held a secret meeting in Nairobi where they had hatched plans to dismantle several sub-locations and County Wards for their own selfish interests. One such politician has of late became one of the many professional mourners appearing almost in every funeral gathering which he is always polluting with his outmoded political gimmicks.
Meanwhile residents of Awendo town and its environs have bitterly complained of the re-emergence of political thuggery and brawls in most public joins resulting in physical assaults being the daily recurrences. Hired political goons are causing havoc with innocent Wananchi going about with their daily routine businesses.
Unconfirmed report filtering in from Awendo says that one employee of the sonysugar company was reportedly assaulted last week following political argument and one supporter of a parliamentary aspirant. The same goon was reported to have assaulted a second victim last Friday with the two incidents sending the residents into panick about their safety. These marauding youths have scared the people from the surrounding farming villages away from accessing the town on fear of being provoked by half dozens of gent provocateurs who are said be on the rampage in the area while operating at the behest of their invisible masters, though the general elections are still many months away.
Meanwhile the resident of Kasipul-Kabondo have expressed their satisfaction and the creation of a new parliamentary constituency in the area, the communities involved have yet to settle and agree on the name of the new constituency. Other suggestions has been made that owing to the presence of a large population of Kasipul, from three major locations of Kokwanyo, Kojwach and Kakelo it would only be fair to all the inhabitants, if the new constituency should be called Kasipul -East and the old constituency should b renamed as either Oyugis, Wire or West Kasipul in order to satisfy the interests of the different communities living in it.
Another region which has of late appeared to be problematic and controversy ridden are the two constituencies in Suba region of Mbita and Gwassi. The majority of residents of Gwassi constituency want its named to be hanged back to Suba-South while that of Mita be changed to Suba North. Issues at stake included the fact that there are two warring communities living in Gwassi constituencies. These are the dominant Jo-Wagassi sub-clan and the Jo-Kakisingiri sub-clan which shared the constituency with the majority Jo-Wagassi group.
Two year ago the two community almost went into a full scale war over the place which should house the new administrative headquarters, arguing that which is located right in the middle of Gwassi was chosen to the chagrins of the Kakisingiri people who preferred Gingo Center arguing that there was enough land space which was bought by the government using millions of taxpayers money paid out in compensation previously paid out to the for land owners, who vacated Gingo. There is a full fledged hospital and the offices of the former County Council of Suba. However that issue cooled down and peace prevailed owing to political magnanimity of some political personalities and elites within the locality and those working in Nairobi including the two former Area MPs Zadock Syong’o and Felix Nyauchi.
Ends