Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town.
The popular making the round in many parts of Luo-Nyanza, especially in the greater Southern Nyanza is that the government should consider the possibility of introducing stringent rule that would require speakers at funeral gatherings to be subjected to the police licensing.
The proponent of this school of thought maintains that owing to the fact that the general election is around the corner, such a move would be most appropriate for the maintenance of law and order and would ensure that the peace and tranquility prevails during he electioneering campaign in the entire region.
The recent incidents where funeral goers were forced to scamper for their safety are testimony. Some politicians have shameless turned funeral gatherings into political platform.
Such commotions have resulted in innocent peace-loving citizens sustaining bodily injuries and such must come to an immediate end.
Unpopular aspirants vying or the various elective position are known to have been using funeral gatherings for making reckless and provocative pronouncements against their perceived opponents either real or imagined.
At the same time two senior ODM politicians in Southern Nyanza region have been warned to desist from making slanderous utterances in public gatherings which are meant to discredit the reputation and image of their perceived political enemies either real or imagined.
The two unnamed ODM leaders in the region are all candidates aspiring for the various positions of Senate, Parliament and County governorship.
The warning came as the result of numerous accusations and allegations against the two disgruntled ODM politicians in the region whose chance of winning any seat are said to be too “slim’. The two have been quoted in certain quarters as having engaged themselves in utterances considered to be provocative and bordering on character assassination.
All the aspirants vying for the various elective positions either in the County governance, parliament, senate and location Wards in the Council should guard against making sweeping and unfounded allegations against their opponent. The party should move fast and instill discipline that would require aspirants to engage themselves on the issues-based campaign as opposed to threats intimidation and uncalled for personal attacks, which are the recipe for chaos.
The kind of public gathering guidelines being asked for would compel the bereaved families to have the names of their earmarked speakers’ submitted to the police in advance. This would also require the speakers at such gatherings to account for all kinds of allegations and insinuations whenever required by police to account or heir utterances.
One of he ODM operatives in Rachuonyo South district said it had become evidence that some politicians were now roaming the entire region in search of places where there are expected huge crowds of people to the burial ceremony. Burial ceremonies should be the solemn peaceful sending off of the departing loved ones, and therefore should not be turned into political platform for electioneering campaign speeches.
One of the unnamed politician who is being accused for bad mouthing his rivals, it is being alleged to have recently branded some of the populist youthful aspirants, particularly the Nairobi businessmen, accusing them of being “drug dealers’.
The politician who is said to be eyeing the position of the County governor, is said to be too old and worn out and as such cannot offer any effective leadership to the community.
A group of youths allied to one of the contenders for the County senate seat have advised the bad mouthing politician to take a rest as he is time bar for any elective position and should vacate the field for the young and energetic aspirants for the position.
Meanwhile reports emerging from Homa-Bay say the contest for the position of Senate representative ha kicked off in earnest.
The Senate seat ha s attracted the youthful Nairobi based businessman Hilary Ochieng’ Alila who is likely to face two senior ODM politicians I the region. The two include the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Otieno Kajwang’ and the Internal Security Assistant Minister Joshua Orua Ojode.
Kajwang’ is the ODM Homa-Bay County branch chairman and the MP for Mbita constituency in Suba South district while Ojode is the MP for Ndhiwa.
Minister Kajwang’ has already declared his interest in the seat, while Ojode has yet to make his intention publicly known.
Both Ministers are seasoned politician who are well known to the voters in the entire Homa-Bay County, while Alila who had started his campaign as an underdog has taken the early lead owing to his effective campaign which has endeared him to the youth and women groups.
Alila has made major inroad into all the eight parliamentary constituencies, which include Kasipul-Kabondo, Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita.
Ends