Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kendu-Bay Town
A parliamentary aspirant in Karachuonyo constituency had lost the race during the recently concluded ODM nominations. He then ditched the party for the Wiper Orange Movement after mobilizing his supporters to stage the violent street demonstration during which Raila Odinga election posters were burnt down and the Prime Minister effigy also set alight. He now faces a total rejection by the voters.
The demonstrators, comprised mainly of drunken youth, had blocked the main Kendu-Bay – Homa-Bay road at Kanyadhiang’ bridge near the home of the aspirant Adipo Okoume. They used heavy logs, burned tires and, torched Raila Odinga’s campaign posters. The demonstrators menacingly threatened motorists while singing derogatory songs against the Prime Minister,saying “no Adipo Okuome no Raila Odinga”
The close to violent demonstration began in earnest after the word went round that the former Karachuonyo MP Eng had clinched the nomination with landslide voters.
Other aspirants included Dr Ofafa Adede, Anderson Ojwang’, Donny Opar, David Ngala. The other aspirants did not take part in the demonstrations and kept away, while the supporters of Adipo Okuome also hurled stones at the former MP’s convoy of vehicles near Nyakongo causing mechanical damage to some of the vehicles.
The former MP Eng James K.Rege returned home at the weekend to a rousing welcome by a huge enthusiastic crowd. The former MP arrived at Kendu – Bay in the convoy of vehicles numbering about 60 and openly displayed to the crowd his ODM nomination certificate. He later took to road show going around the entire Karachuonyo constituency before winding u at his Kanjira village home in West Karachuonyo.
During the rally at Kendu Bay it was disclosed that three of the ODM nomination losers have moved and secured nomination of other parties outside ODM. Adipo was reported to have moved to the Wiper Party, while David Ngala will be vying for the election in the UDF part and Donny Opar to contest on the Wiper Party tickets.
It was after this revelation that a group of elders in Karachuonyo made an impromptu announcement saying that the constituency will not be the fertile ground for votes hunting by those who have lost in the ODM nomination.
The elders’ spokesman who requested for his anonymity singled out the name of Adipo Okuome saying that although the Wiper party is in partnership with the ODM under the main umbrella of CORD alliance this particular candidate owed the Karachuonyo people an apology for having allowed his supporter to engage themselves in acts of violence, thuggery and lawlessness and for having publicly insulted the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The elders called for peaceful election campaign and asked the aspirants to respect the right of each other and at the same time not to incite their supporters to violence.
One of the elders Ex-Assistant Chief Nyandiko heaped a lot of praise on the former MP saying he had changed the face of Karachuonyo politics from the violence prone constituency to an area of peaceful co-existence and massive development. He appealed to the voters to cats their votes to Eng Rege in their thousands so that he could continue implementing his impressive development agenda.
The elders made it clear that they would not entertain any “Madoadoa” politics or let the people vote for an aspirant whose loyalty to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga is questionable. Karachuonyo is an ODM stronghold and we should like to see all the votes goes to “Agwambo”.
THE Karachuony0 elders advised the former MP Eng.Rege not to relax because the real election battle is still ahead until after March 4, 2013. They urged those who have won the elections as County Representatives in both Karachuonyo South and Karachuonyo North districts to join hands with the rest of the population to ensure massive votes for Raila Odinga’s presidential victory.
Ends