Writes Ndira-Uradi In Kisumu City.
The repeat of the much flawed elections in various sub-branches and branches in Luo-Nyanza of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} were concluded early this week
In most places the elections were held in a friendly and peaceful atmosphere except in the usually volatile areas of Rongo and Awendo district in the greater Southern Nyanza.
There were reports of tension and stone-throwing around Obama sub-branch in Sakwa Central, Awendo district forcing the elections to be called off by the returning officer in Kamiyawa sub-branch, while in three other sub branches of Kanyagwala, Awendo and Kasidula were concluded their election in which men and women
Dispute exists over the lists from South and North Kamagambo, which were changed over night. The returning officer allegedly doctored the correct list of the genuinely elected and replacing it with the names of people allied to the Minister for Public Services.
Party members have blamed the party’s election board for picking up dishonest people and appointing returning officers each time the elections are called. These people fiddle with the elections results after being manipulated by senior politicians seeking to maintain their influence in the local branches by filling the positions with their political surrogates..
The residents of both Rongo and Awendo district highly praised Mr Tom Okong’o, a civic leader from Kasipul-Kabondo, who was the overall supervisor and returning officer, for being steadfast and conducting the business in a fair manner.
Regions and areas like Rongo and Awendo, where acts of political thuggeries have resulted in the deaths of several people, needed to be handled with care. The party must post only trustworthy people, and not dishonest supervisor to oversee the elections in the volatile areas.
Party members have appealed to the ODM leadership to work out a formula that spellings out clearly that any politician whose leadership has been associated with political violence that which resulted in loss of lives, should be barred permanently from contesting for any elective position using the party ticket no matter how mightier he or she is and irrespective of his status within the society.
In the Rongo and Awendo contest, It emerged that forces allied to the two political giants of the region region, former cabinet Minister George Ochilo-Ayacko and the Minister for Public Service Dalmas Otieno, were involved in cut-throat competitive politics. They fought and won the elections on a 50-50 basis with Otieno suffering more losses I his Rongo backyard.
Ends