Writes Bob Ndira-Uradi
Scores of people were arrested and taken into police custody in Siaya Town on Monday following an attempt by a group of suspected hired political goon attempted to disrupt the ODM campaign rally.
The meeting turned chaotic after a man who was spotted brandishing a machete and suspected to be preparing to attack the Finance Assistant Minister Dr. Oburu Odinga was beaten savagely before being frog-matched to Siaya Police Station where he was taken into custody.
Siaya police Chief Stephen Cheteka confirmed the incident. The man whose name was given as simple as Otieno had attempted to disrupt the meeting. This prompted the youth allied t Dr Oburu Odinga to swang into action pounced on the panga man, and unleashed kicks and blows on the him before pinning the suspect to the ground
His nine other accomplices were also cornered by the police and taken into custody bring the number of those arrested to ten.
The multiple sources in Siaya town the battle for the coveted Siaya County Senate seat has turned nasty with the supporters of the two leading contenders for the seat threatening to unleash terror to each other.
The Siaya County Senate seat is being contested by two political giants in the region, namely the Lands Minister James Aggrey Orengo and the Finance Assistant Minister Dr.Oburu Odinga, who is also the elder brother of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga
Concerted efforts have been made by the stakeholders, sitting MPs from the region include to have the two men reconciled in vain. Each one of the two politicians is insisting that they would full length to the ballot box, and that none is wiling to stand down for the other, though both of them are staunch member of the ODM.
Information reaching us and rumors making the rounds in Siaya town says, Orengo is having the upper hand and would definitely touch Dr. Oburu Odinga, whose candidature appeared to have the blessing of the resident of only in two parliamentary constituencies, namely Bondo and Rarieda.
Siaya County has six parliamentary constituencies, namely Gem, Ugenya, Ukwala, Alego-Usonga, Rarieda and Bondo. Orengo has the upper hand in the other four constituencies and he is expected to perform better than Dr.Oburu Odinga.
Orengo’s campaign has yet to hit the ground, the Minister is, however, said to be using his proxies who have amounted elaborate and effective campaign and hunt for votes all over Siaya County.
Information making the round is that the electorate have unanimously agreed that they would vote for the Prime Minister Raila Odinga on man-to-man in his presidential bid but are said not to be very comfortable with Dr. Oburu Odinga’s candidature for the Senate seat.
Information emerging from Bondo itself say that a sharp division has emerged between the two major sub-clans residing in Bondo district, namely Jo-Sakwa, Dr. Oburu Odinga’s own sub-clan and who have the majority of the registered voters and the Jo-Yimbo, who are the minority sub-can shariung Bon
The Bondo parliamentary seat has remained the exclusive preserve of the Jo-Sakwa ever since its inception in 1963 starting with the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as its first MP.Dr Oburu Odinga has represented the area for close to 19 years ever since the death of his father Jaramogi Ogings Odinga in January 1994.
The popular opinion making the round is that it is time the Odinga family to vacate this seat for another man from Jo-Yimbo. This has came about following the rumor that Dr. Oburu Odinga had panned to front son Elijah Abonyo Oburu to succeed him as the next Bondo MP, while he himself settle in the Senate.
This is the issue, which those proxies campaigning for Minister Orengo against Dr. Oburu Odinga are reported to be exploiting to the maximum.If The campaign by the two goes to full length and the two fail to agree, the electorate might switch their support to the Roman Catholic former Nun Sister Agnes Awuor who is contesting or the Siaya Senate seat as an independent candidate.
The former nun is reported to have been sacked by the Vatican for having joined politics which is contrary to the doctrine of the Catholic Church. But on the ground her name and euphoria is sweeping the region like Tsunami. She is the one to watch because she is increasingly attracting the women and youth votes and she could the two political giants of Siaya a run for their money.
On the election of the Siaya County governor, the name of the former Gem MP Joe Odonde is sweeping the region. He is contesting against another fellow from Gem Julius Okinda.
Ends