Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
The forthcoming general elections for the first time in Kenya’s political history witness several high profile women leaders in Luo-Nyanza taking their men compatriots in several parliamentary, senate, County and civic positions.
A new political dimension, which seemed to favor women representatives, is slowly cropping up. The ground seemed to be getting fertile and yawning for a change in favor women than men.
Among the leading women leaders in the region who appeared to be the favorites of the electorate include those who have excelled in the academic fields, past exemplary services to the community.
Among the leading women leaders tipped to clinch seats including he retired former Nyanza PDE Mrs Roselyn A Onyuka. She has already declared her interest in the position of Senate women representative in the Homa-Bay County.
Also expect to feature prominently in the election is Mrs Eve Obara, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Literature Beaurau. Shehas has yet to declare her interest in the parliamentary politics, but Obara who hails from Kasipul-Kabondo and the current coordinator for the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in Nyanza Province, the position which has even a facility to interact with women leaves all over the Province.
If she choose to contest the election, Mrs Obara would probably contest the newly created Kabondo constituency.
Another popular women is Mrs Rose Buyu, a Nairobi based business woman who in 2007 gave the incumbent Kisumu Town West MP John Olago Aluoch a run for his money almost flooring the outspoken Kisumu lawyer to the ground.
Popularly known to her peers as “Dwasi” {cow} Buyu is much favored to win the election in the newly realigned Kisumu Town West,which covered most parts of Kisumu rural locations,and which exclude Kisumu Central constituency which covered the Central Business Distinct {CBD} and pera-urban areas of Nyalenda, Pand-Piwei, Airport, Kibuye, Industrial Areas and the posh Milimani Estate.
The newly created Kisumu Central constituency does not seem to favor the incumbent John Olago Aluoch. The MP would also be a stranger if he chose to defend his seat in Kisumu Town West constituency due to several factors.
Although actively participating in parliamentary debates and contributing a lot on most issues of national importance, Aluoch appeared to have burned the bridges between him and the Town’s population, especially those who voted for him in 2007. He is being blamed for having favored non-indigents and appeared to have sidelined members of the indigent Jo-Kisumu people. He is facing myriad of accusations that he had filled all the important posts in the CDF with outsiders, especially people from Southern Nyanza and Siaya regions.
Mrs Buyu hail from around Holo market in Kisumo West location and she is a member of an influential family of the late Mr Radiak, who was the former sales and marketing manger with the Kenya Breweries Limited.
She has made major inroad in nearly all the rural locations turning up with hefty donations during fund drives for important community socio-economic projects.
Mrs Buyu is originally from Sakwa Bondo the daughter of a prominent entrepreneur and a close friends of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the late Mzee Patrick Onyango Ochang’one of the first African who pioneer into big businesses in Kisumu City long before independence in 1963.
She is commonly being offered as the sister of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga owing to their long standing family tie with the Odingas dating back to 1950s.
Another high profile woman leader who stands a better chance of winning any elective position in the region is Prof. Jacklyne Oduol who is the current Secretary for Genders and Children In the Coalition government.
Oduol contested the election in Allego-Usonga constituency in 2007, but narrowly lost to the incumbent Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda.She is related to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga because she is married to the Kaka sub-clan I Alego who are the uncles of the PM and the place where Raila’s mother came from.
Oduol is highly respected personalities in addition to her colorful academic background and credibility.She has yet to declare her interest in any of the seats in the new set of constitutional dispensation.
In Migoti County, Prof. Suda has made her position clear that she would be challenging a team of men for the lucrative position of Migori County Senate representative.
Prof. Suda hails from Kanyamkago West in Uriri district. So far no credible aspirant has come forward to challenge her. The only person who has been campaigning for the same position in the region is the former two times KANU MP for the old larger Homa-Bay constituency Phares Oluoch Kanindo. He is, however, betrayed by he fact that he was in Parliament for well over ten years but made no maiden speech, and he considered as a spent force. He is no match to the firebrand and youthful professor.
In Mbita constituency, the ODM nominated MP Millie Odhiambo is expected to be in the race in a bruising election battle against her close cousin Phares Ogweno Ratego an executive with an NGO in Nairobi.
Miss Odhiambo who has made a name for herself as a firebrand and formidable debtor in the tenth Parliament is one of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s troop soldiers. Her rising popularity with youths and women in Mbita is what it is widely believed to have sent the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ packing.
Kajwang’ has witched his position and will now be contesting for the Homa-Bay County Senate seat instead of defending his Mbita parliamentary seat which he has held ever since 1997.
The move is viewed by the electorate as strange happening because Kajwng’ is considered to be one of the Luo MPs who is very close to the ODM leader Raila Odinga.
The election battle between Miss Odhiambo and Ratego in Mbita is expected to be one of he toughest election ever witnessed in the area featuring two prominent members of one family. Odhiambo and Ratego hail from Rusinga Island in a sub-clan called Kolo in Waware in Rusinga East Location. And their rural homes located near Waware Secondary School is only separated by a fence measuring about 30 yards.
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