Writes Arrum-Tidi Ogonglo In Kisumu City.

NDHIWA residents have vowed to voluntary stamp out the use of political goons for the purpose of intimidating the electorate in the area during the impending by-election to fill the vacant parliamentary seat following the untimely of the former MP for the area Joshua Orwa Ojode.

The Interim Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC}. The by-election is slated or September 13, 2012.

A number of political luminaries in Ndhiwa, however, have come out gun blushing and strongly condemned the use of political goon and criminal hugs in the areas.

The wholesale condemnation followed the last Monday fierce battle in Ndhiwa Town which resulted in cores of people sustaining bodily injuries

Aye-witnesses reported that the fight which involved close to 300 combatants was between the loyalist supporter of the late Joshua the three have been criss-crossing the full length and width of the expansive constituency in the company of mobile crowds and excessively drunken goons appearing in almost each and every funeral home.

One of the leading aspirants Ted Odero yesterday called upon the ODM head office to ensure that anyone whose name I associate with the use of political thuggery and promotion of acts

Speaking to this writer from his office based in the lakeside Tanzanian town of MwanzaTed Odero emphasized the need for the Ndhiwa people to maintain peace during the campaign for the by-election and called on all the aspirants to ensure they engage in gentlemen and peaceful campaign, which is devoid of the use of violence. “We would like to have a peaceful transition from the late Joshua Orwa Ojode to the new MP. We would like to do it the Ghanaian style where the dead head of state was replaced in a peaceful style without any political hustling,”

Ted Odero is one among those highly favored to clinch the seat is to face the stiffest opposition from two other populist aspirants, Jeremiah Owiti and Louis Onyango Otieno who is a cousin of the late Ojode. Louis Otieno who is a senior manager with the Microsoft Computer International in East, Southern and Central African regions based I the Kenyan capital, Nairobi

Louis Otieno who is currently on a short visit to the US could not be reached for his comment, But multiple sources within the late Ojode’s clan of Kabwayi has confided to us that the clan which I the third largest I the constituency would lie to back one of their own to succeed the ate Ojode, and that Louis Otieno is also the favorite of the ODM members who are scattered in the expansive. Otieno who has yet to declare his candidature in the by-election join the race then it will be the battle of Titans between him and the most eloquent and aggressive competitor in the name Ted Odero who is credited for his oratory and a smooth political operative

Unconfirmed report reaching us indicated that the widow of the late Orwa Ojode Mrs Mary Ojode is under the heavy pressure by the supporters of her late husband and also close family members of the late Joshua Orwa Ojode to join the race.

So far it is not clear as to whether the recent indications that there is likely to be some court l legal tussle between Mary Ojode and her brother-in-laws over the sub-division and succession saga in the late Ojode’s vast estate could have adverse effect in her popularity. So far her popularity I the vast constituency has yet to be properly assessed and evaluated.

Ojode’s widow, however, has kept the press guessing and has so ,however, have intimated to us that Mrs Ojode is in the process and considering the option of joining he race in the by-election in order to succeed her late husband. However, Mrs Mary Ojode has yet to make her intentions known publicly over the by-election issues and could not be reached for her immediate comment.

However the senior-most member of the Ojode family is the Hon Matthews Otieno Ogingo, former two terms MP for Ndhiwa who is currently said to be unwell and is receiving medical treatment in the United State of America. Ogingo was conspicuously absent during the high profile burial of the late Ojode at his Unga farm in Central Kanyamwa.

The tension charged funeral was attended by President Mwai Kibaki the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, the entire cabinet, Assistant Ministers Permanent Secretaries and close to 100 MPs.

The coming weeks will witnessed intensified campaign activities as he more that a dozen aspirant would be trying to out do each other. The residents are expecting it to be conducted in a peaceful manner and have appealed to the ODM as a party to ensure that it will be devoid of political thuggery.

Ends