Writes Arrum-Tidi Ogonglo in Homa-Bay Town

Nomination losers at the just concluded, but reportedly flawed ODM preliminaries in the Ndhiwa by-election have been urged to join hands with other party leaders in the region I supporting the winner Augustino Neto Oyugi win the seat back and strengthen its parliamentary strength.

They must remain steadfastly in ODM and remained patriotic and totally committed to the party ideals

The disillusioned nomination losers are reported to have ganged up after meeting in Nairobi and vowed to put their weight behind the candidate of other party instead of supporting and campaigning for the ODM torch bearer.

Making what he termed as passionate appeal to the close t 21 nomination losers to change their hearts and abandon their planned rebellion against the party, a Homa-Bay County prominent politician Hilary Ochieng’ Alila told the nomination losers to be patient ,saying the patience pays. This is because the general election is around the corner and if even if they had lost I the nomination, they should remain loyal and supportive to the party nominee to win.

They will be able to stand contest and win the election during he forthcoming general elections. The elections will come with unlimited opportunities for those who are ambitious to win the elective positions both at the national, senate and in the regional governance in accordance to the unlimited opportunities offered under the new constitutional dispensation.

Alila said for the ODM members to extend their support to candidate of a rival political party in the by-election campaign would be tantamount to a betrayal and open rebellion, which could earn those involve the cancellation of their party membership and eventual expulsion from the party,

Alila a Nairobi based businessman who is currently campaigning for the Homa-Bay County Senate seat said for the ODM members and supporter to propel the party leader Raila Amolo Odinga to realize his presidential ambition, the party must remain united and all should work as a team.

Alila is challenging the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’, the current Mbita MP who has shifted his political camp from Mbita to Homa-Bay town and is now contesting the County Senate seat.

It has since emerged that during the just ended Ndhiwa by-election nomination ODM preliminaries, Kajwang, who is also the ODM County branch in Homa-Bay and his rival Alila had thrown their weights o two different aspirants.

Kajwang’, it is being alleged to have thrown his weight behind the former Ndhiwa MP Tom Okello Obondo a perennial Ndhiwa parliamentary election loser ever since 1994. Obondo performed poorly in the nomination, while Hilary Ocheng Alila another contender for the County Senate seat supported Augustino Neto Oyugi who eventually won the party in a hotly contested and controversial by-election nomination. He outcome of the Ndhiwa preliminary nomination is therefore only pointing fingers at the direction the Homa-Bay County politics will follow come March, 4 2013.

The populist and youthful Alila whose candidature for the County Senate seat against Minister Otieno Kajwang’ is being commonly being referred to by the locals like the biblical battle between the little David and the giant Goliath is said to have gathered and mobilized a formidable campaign team in all the eight parliamentary constituencies that forms Homa-Bay County, stretching from Kabondo-Kasipul, Kasipul, Karachuonyo,Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita.

However, the political intrigues recently witnessed in the last week’s Ndhiwa nomination indicating that the Minister is under heavy pressure of losing the Senate battle and in a great panicking.

Another important key ODM Homa-Bay County branch was the branch treasurer, Mrs Monica Amolo, who is also the self-proclaimed ODM coordinator in Nyanza and a perennial election loser in Ndhiwa. She had lost the bid to become the Ndhiwa MP against the late Joshua Orwa Ojode in 2002 and 2007 each tie claiming that she had been rigged t and her votes stolen, and even atone time moved to the High Court against the late Ojode and the disbanded Elect0ral Commission of Kenya under Kivuitu though she had garnered only 12,000 votes against Ojode’s 48,000.The case was throw out against her with cost.in 2007

Reports emerging from Homa-Bay ay Alila is currently on the lead in the two constituencies in Suba districts of Gwassi and Mbita, Ndhiwa,Rangwe, Kabondo-Kasipul and Kasipul while Otieno Kajwang has fragmented and scattered support among his uncles in Karachuonyo where his mother hails from

Pundits, however, maintains that it is too early to make an accurate assessment.

Ends