Writes Arrum-Tidi Ogonglo in Homa-Bay Town
The Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ is among the seasoned Luo politicians in Nyanza who are said to be in great panick following the recent entry into the Homa-Bay County Senate seat contest by the youthful and populist challenger Hilary Ochieng’ Alila.
Kajwang’ who is the outgoing MP for Mbita and a closer confidant of the ODM leader Raila Odingahas shifted his political camp from Mbita to Homa-Bay Town and declared that he would not defend his parliamentary seat next March. Instead he is contesting the Homa-Bay County Senate seat.
Fears and discontent persist in many constituencies that many aspirants for the various elective seats within the County governance, parliament, senate, governorship and county ward representatives could be locked out of the race during the ODM nominations exercises, which are known not to be free and fair.
Such fears still persist despite the repeated assurances given by the party leader Raila Odinga that ODM nominations will be free and fair.Many aspirants are suspicious that the nomination certificates will be issued through the back door, and that certain individuals earmarked as favored candidate could get their clearance certificates from the back door.
He recent power-sharing arrangement between the Luos and Kuria communities in Migori County has fueled such fear because the majority of the would be candidates have made it clear that they have never heard of the negotiated democracy, and have urged the ODN leadership to allowed those who have spent enormous resources in the campaign to go into the ballot boxes with their opponents instead of what they termed as ”primitive and unworkable negotiated democxracy”.
It appears as if the contest for the highly valued Homa-Bay Senate seat would be a two horse-race between Kajwang’ and the youthful Alila.
JKajwang’s fears aroused from the trip made by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga to Ndhiwa constituency during the recently conclude by-election to fill the vacant Ndhiwa seat left by the death of the former incumbent the late Joshua Orwa Ojode.
During the tour, the Prime Minister flew in one chopper with Alila and later traversed the full length width of the expansive Ndhiwa constituency, an act which sparked a lot of rumors and speculation the local immediately went into high notch of rumor that Alila is the favorite aspirant for the Homa–Bay Senate seat.
It got worse for Kajwang’ when Alila appeared at the controversial ODM Mashinani rally held in Homa-Bay town.He was mobbed by the enthusiastic crowd and given an arousing ovation and praise. The meeting was convened by Kajwang’ in his capacity as the chairman of the ODM Homa-Bay County branch.Other MPs who attended the rally included Eng James Rege {Karachuonyoi} Joseph Oyugi Magwanbga {Kasipul-Kabondo} and Martin OItieno Ogindo {Rangwe} The nominated M P Millie Odhiambo attended the meeting briefly, but only after the fracas in which scores of people sustain knives wounds and other bodily injuries.
From the looks of things Otieno Kajwang’ appeared to have been scared by the standing ovation that greeted the arrival of his challenger Hilary Alila whom also addressed the rally and urged the voters to go for the energetic and youthful aspirants.
The Homa-ay is covering the widest area which included seven parliamentary constituencies, which included Mbita, Gwassi, Ndhiwa, Rangwe Karachuonyo, Homa-Bay Town, Kasipul and Kabondo Kasipul.
After the Ndhiwa tour by Raila Odinga in the company of Alila the rumor-mongers went into full gear spreading that Alila is the most favorite candidate by “Jakom’, But so far Kajwang’ has had no chance of clearing the waves of this miking it appear credible of rumors and speculation leaving the room for the voters to make their own intelligence guesswork.
However, a good number of ODM leaders who attended the rowdy Mashinani rally in Homa-Bay town last month which ended in scor of people being injured with knives stabs and other missiles, have pointed an accusing fingers at the police force in the region accusing the security personel of laxityand complacency.
So far no arrest has been made despite the fact that many people recorded statement with the police, and even those who had sustained serious bodily harm have given their version of statement to the police. Other sources have it that the Homa-Bay police have sent signal to the police in Rachuonyo South district asking them to arrest and escort the suspect back to Homa-Bay to face criminal charges, but to no avail.