Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The battle for the Kisumu Town East parliamentary seat has began with several candidates declaring their interest in the seat.

Kisumu Town East is currently represented by an ODM MP Shakeel Ahmed Shabbir, the only Indian elected member of Kenyan parliament.

A former Mayor of Kisumu, Shabbir was imposed on the voters by the ODM leadership in an electoral area where close to 100 per cent of the voters are Luos, majority of them are the residents of Kajulu and Kolwa Locations and parts of the peri-urban areas of Kisumu City.

However, the MP dismal performance and failure to fulfill some of the promises which he had made to the voters are likely to dodge his effort to defend his seat at the next polls.

Shabbir had made a pledge that he would dedicate half of his parliamentary salary and allowances to the constituents to be used in funding development activities and helping the poor.

However, the MP is facing scathing criticism for only using CDF devolving fund for buying coffins for the dead, and not making any significant contributions or parting with half of his parliamentary income in aid of the poor. He had made the pledge in his election posters in 2007.

This time around he will face it with one of the most influential Kisumu Municipal civic leader Councilor Roberts Oruko Otuge of Kolwa East Ward.

Coun Otuge is the son of the late Alderman Q.C. Otuge Muoso, who for a long time was an aide of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and later served as the overall leader of the KANU Youth League in Central Nyanza.His father had served as the Kisumu Municipal Councilor and was later promoted to the now defunct position of Aldermanship, which was later abolished in Kenya’s Municipalities reflecting colonial relics by an independent Kenya government.

Otuge is one of the most influential civic leaders within Kisumu municipality represent Kolwa East Ward. He was prevailed upon in 2007. He was prevailed upon to stand down in favor MP Shabbir in 2007 by ODM leadership.

The tough talking Otuge has severely criticized the MP for having run-down development projects I the constituency despite of the availability of government devolving funds such a CDF, Road maintenance funds and the School Bursary Funds.

The Mp has appointed his own political cronies, most of the outside to run and poorly manage the funds.

Bridges built o the Kibos-Chiga Rabuor access and feeder roads were constructed in a shoddy manner. Most of them have since been washed away by the rising flood waters. The same could be said of roads in Kajulu East, especially in Nyabondo.

Otuge accused the MP for not having fulfilled the pledges, which he made during the 2007 general election. One of the promises was that the MP would dedicate half of his parliamentary salary and allowances towards helping the poor member of his constituents in donating the money towards the construction of public utilities such as schools and medical facilities in the area to cater for the sick people.

Instead the MP is only sending CDF money buying coffins for the dead. “We need this money to assist the living ones and not the dead. Al the devolving funds should be used to up lift the standard of living among he poor rural folk,” he said.

School bursary is being disbursed in a discriminative manner, which is only favoring he sons and daughter of the MP’s political cronies, and not the general public.

The CDF local disbursing committee is flooded by people from outside the constituency who have no interest in the development of the area and were only there to enrich themselves. Some of the CDF members were now see driving brand new sleek cars in town, whereas most of the CDF funded projects have yet to be completed.

Construction contracts tenders are dished out to friends of the MP. In most cases these people have done shoddy job and made away with millions of shillings.

Coun Otuge and also called for a team of investigators from the Kenya Integrity and Anti Corruption Commission and also from the office of the auditor general to carry out the forensic auditing of the CDF money in the area. How it has been utilized and where the millions have gone to.

Otuge disclosed that he had been requested to contest the sea by many members of the constituent as a result of dismal performance by MP Shabbir. He said the MP who lives in the comfort of Kisumu Town had no interest in the welfare of the constituents who are suffering perennial flood waters, lack of good roads and poor school and other infrastructure. He is even married to a woman from Bugoma in addition to his Indian wife who is living abroad and her children.

Ends

CAPTION IN ANOTHR ATTAHED MAIL PLEASE FIND THE PHOTO OF COUNCILLOR OTUGE THE MAN WHO WANT TO UNSEAT THE KISUMU TOWN EAST MP SHAKEEL AHMED SHABBIR