Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The campaign by aspirants vying for the Homa-Bay County Senate seat has kicked off in a high note with the potential contestants criss crossing the full length and width of the region in canvassing for votes.

The battle for the senate seat in this region has promised a lot of fireworks given the kind of the political elites and personalities involved in the race.

Two of the aspirants co so aggressively and his campaign style is sending shock-waves to other established politician in the region.

The politically well established contestants include the Immigration and Registration of Persons Gerald Otieno Kajwang, who is the MP for Suba South {formerly Mbita}, and the abrasive MP for Ndhiwa Joshua Orwa Ojode who is an Assistant Minister for Internal Security.

The third force is the populist and youthful Nairobi and Kampala based businessman Hilary Ochieng’Alila whose waves of popularity in the region has become a matter of serious concern by other aspirants.

The 37 year old Alila originally hail from Rapedhi area of Ndhiwa district, But he has made Homa-Bay his permanent resident and campaign center, Alila is so popular with youth and women groups and has mobilized big following in all the eight parliamentary constituencies, which include Suba North, Suba South, Ndhiwa, Homa-Bay Town, Rangwe, Karachuonyo, Kasipul and Kasipul-Kabondo.friends, but later turned bitter enemies..Ojode with close to 100,000- registered voters in his Ndhiwa home turf could easily tame Kajwang’. if he could garner close to 75 per cent of votes in his Ndhiwa home turf, then he would be hard nut to crack.

Kajwang’, however, hail from the Suba region, which could only account for about 55,000 or 60,000 after the fresh registration of he new generation of voters after the next registration of voters exercise due before the next polls.The Minister, however, has recently brushed shoulders with the members of the Suba communities in the two constituencies of Suba South and suba North folowing renaming of the two constituencies by the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC} which did not go well with his personal interests. He faulted the IEBC for having renaming Mbita, the Suba North arguing that there were more Luo population residing in the constituency than those of Suba origin.

Pone civic leader in Rusinga Island has since filed a legal suit against the IEBC arguing that renaming of the constituency was not in the best interest of all the residents. The civic leader in question was present during the hearing conducted by the IEBC in Homa-Bay and the presentation of memorandums by the people from the two Suba constituencies. But the civic leader has since developed cold feet and moved to court as a lone ranger against the majority of the residents of Rusinga Island.

The most interesting feature of the impending suit against the Suba population was filed by none other than Otieno Kajwang’ younger brother who is a lawyer in Nairobi, and the residents says they are seeing Kajwang’s hidden hand in the matter. The elders and residents who had requested for the change of the names of the two constituencies have vowed to render the support to the IEBC during the hearing of the case.

Another aspirant is a Mr Enock Aduke, who hails from Kodumo in Kabondo, but a resident of Kosele Town. His political clout and influence in the region, however remained unknown as he is a new comer to the game.

The former Kasipul Kabondo MP William Oloo Otula who had earlier announced that he would contest the Homa-Bay County Senate seat is reported to have chicken out and has since declared the would be trying his hand in his old Kasipul seat Otula made the announcement during the weekend burial at Kojwach village hoe near Ringa Market of a former PNU parliamentary candidate for Kasipla-Kabondo Akira Ngadi who was aid to rest last Saturday.

It is now clear that all the four aspirants for the Senate seat will be battling for the votes in the vote rich Rachuonyo region, which has registered close to 150,000 voters, but this figure could be increased to close to 180,000 after the next voters registration exercise before the polls.

The expected political scenario is that the real battle will be between Kajwang’ and Ojode, though the Ndhiwa MP will have the advantage of having a safe home constituency, while Kajwang’ home support has dwindled following the controversies with the Suba communities.

The man to watch is the youthful Alila whose influence is said to have gone higher notch and cut across the parliamentary boundaries. He has mobilized good following in far ends of the County like Kasipul-Kabondo, Mfangano and Rusinga islands. He is said to be a skillful operative who works with local women group and the fact that the youths are the majority of the voters, his popularity cannot be ignore. If the established politicians choose to ignore him they may do so at their own peril

Both Kajwang’ and Alila recently visited Wachara in Kwabwayi area of Ndhiwa which is Ojode’s stronghold for separate public functions, and the residents have since been speaking well in favour of the youthful Alila as the man of the man to watch.

What is likely to play on the ground is clans alliances within the and in the absent of any aspirant for the Senate seat from the votes rich Rachuonyo districts, Kajwang’ could be advantaged if he chooses to work closely with the area MPs like Eng James Rege {Karachuonyo? Joseph Oyugi Maguwanga {Kasipul-Kabondo}.He is the curret ODM chair for the Homa-Bay County branch, but he ius said not to be in good terms with the former Rangwe MP Phillip Okundi who is the ODN electoral board chairman, Okundi is still a power to reckon with in the old entire Rangwe region.

The coming months will reveal who is the real power in the contest, however, Alila is currently leading the pack with his flamboyant approach.

Ends