AWENDO TOWN IS HIT BY ANONYMOUS LEAFLETS CRITICAL OF THE TOWN COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNED STREET DEMONSTRATIONS.
Report By Bob Ndira-Uradi In Awendo Town.
The small, but fast growing farming town of Awendo, which is located in the middle between Rongo and Migori towns on the main Kisii and Migori highway was on Thursday morning hi by anonymous leaflets,
The town is situated in the newly created Awendo district within Migori County. It has became so important in the greater Southern Nyanza region owing to he fact that the multibillion shillings white sugar mil, the SonySugar Company Limited is also located within the town, making it to be one of the busiest hub of trade in the region.
The resident of the new district were so lucky that they were blessed with a new parliamentary constituency, which was curved out of the old Rongo and confirmed by the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC} among the extra 80 newly created parliamentary constituencies.
However, the town is of late administrative problem caused by what seemingly appeared to be an endless political wrangling between the civic leaders allied to two political giants in the region, despite of the fact that the creation of the new constituency has now separated the two and placed them into two different electoral areas.
The two political giants of the region are the Minister for Public Service Dalmas Otieno who is the current MP or Rongo and the former Mister for Energy George Ochillo-Ayacko who now heads a government parastatal body dealing in energy. Ayacko was the Rongo MP until 2007 when he lost the seat to Dalmas Oieno.
In spite of the separation of the two, which has now places Dalmas Otieno in Rongo while his arch-rival at the local political derby Ochillo Ayacko in the newly created Awendo parliamentary seat, civic leaders allied to the two are still at war with each other, especially in Awendo town.
The latest leaflets entitled “Political Strategy” is accusing he chairman of the Awendo Town Council Coun. Johnson Omolo Owiro for having refused to implement the government directive o the construction of the multimillion shilling indoor make despite the money having been made available by the relevant government ministry. The chairman is said to be adamant because he wanted the Town’s modern market built on the site where the old market was an area which is falling under Sakwa Central Location in his home turf, whereas the place designed for the construction of the market is situated on the side of Sakwa East Location,
Asked why there were unnecessary delay in the construction of the market, Coun Omolo Owiro defended the Council saying that the land earmarked for the market is in dispute. The dispute has resulted I a court case, and as such the Council cannot construct the market on a disputed land.
What is intriguing many is the fact that the civic leaders said to be allegedly involved in inciting the town dwellers, traders, Matatu touts and kiosk owners to stage street demonstrations in protest against the Town Council are all ODM nominated Councilors. They hail from both sides of the political divide, namely Sakwa Central and Sakwa East Wards.This has given the credence that the political war between those allied to the two senior politicians in the region is still on.
The unsigned leaflets revealed that a meeting was held on April 8, in the home of one of the nominated civic leader in Sakwa Central where some far reaching decision ere reached on how t tackle the Town Council administration. Matatu touts and other stake holders were by Thursday reported to be collecting signature of traders and businessmen in town for the planned action schedule for next week.
Local political pundits, however, have dismissed the on-going wrangling as part of the forthcoming general elections election fevers. This is because Awendo Town and its environs has been transformed in the new set up under the new constitution dispensation from the Town Council into an electoral ward, which will produce only one County representative to the Migori County.
The current Council chairman is said to be allied to Dalmas Otieno, while his detractors are said to be in the Ayacko’s camp, so the daggers re already drawn ahead of the next general election as each group would like to dislodge the other.
Observers, however, were quick in pointing out that such aimless and destructive political squabbles could to more harm than good t the fast growing farming town, and it is up to the ODM to instill some amount of discipline to its followers and local grass root leaders with firm warning to maintain unity and serve the public.
These leaflets, according to impeccable sources, has drew the attention of the security personnel in the area who are said to be actively investigating its source.
Ends