Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

THE Rapidly growing influence and popularity of the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Odhiambo Kidero in Luo Nyanza is unstoppable judging from the rousing welcome and deafening applause which he received during the last weekend Kisumu rally at the Kenyatta Sports Ground.

The Nairobi governor was the centre of attraction and his speech and endorsement by the luge crowd must left all and sundry convinced that Luo MPs who have been dissenting his fundraising activities in the region were at a loss and became disillusioned and disgruntled.

Buoyed by the prolonged cheering by the enthusiastic crowd of thousands of ODM supporters speech obviously might have caused a lot of panicking among his detractors.

The Kisumu rally was also attended by the three principals of CORD coalition led by the party leader raila Odinga, the former Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moaea WetangulA, Dr Kidero was wildly cheered despite some early wild rumors that a section of ODM youths and hirelings had been intoxicated and instigated to heckle him. Nothing lie that happened, and those responsible should feel themselves ashamed.

Kisumu rally followed an exclusive closed door meeting of all governors from the 25 Counties countrywide, which are under the CORD administration. Also in attendance were MPS from Nyanza and other regions.

The meeting came in the backdrop of the raging debate over the governors recent massive fundraising activities in the region, which did not go down well with the Raila loyalists.

AT THE END OF December last year a meeting of Luo MPs and other party stalwarts held aT Opoda BAR-Opuk, which is the rural Country home of the party leader Raila Odinga discussed and dwelt at length over Dr Kibero’s fundraising activities in Nyanza, with some of the dissenting it with claims that such activities had some elements of political undertone in Luo-Nyanza with the long scheme of wrestling don the political influence of the Odinga family.. This family has dominated the politics of the region ever since independence in 1963.

The debate went on despite Dr Kidero’s repeated denial that he had no political ambition ambition of challenging Railla supremacy in the Region. Such claims saw Dr Kidero and Raila sharing political platform at the Shauri-Moyo Primary school in Kisumu town during the home coming part of Ms Prisca Auma Misachi a member of Kisumu County. Ms Misachi is a sister to Dr Kidero’s mother-in-law the late Mra Pamela Mboya..

The two happily addressed the crowd and jointly denied there existed any friction between two of them with Kidero coming out bold when he told the gathering that a son cannot challenge his father and mentor The two reiterated theiir commitment to work towards the unity if purpose within the Luo community and also in the ODM with the aims and objective of making the party a popular vehicle for development and future election victory..

It was also most interesting that some of the leaders who had attended the meeting at Raila home last December and who deliberated in bad gossip crowd for the Nairobi governor. When Kidero asked the crowd whether he should continue with his fundraising activities the crowed roared back with wild shouts”Harambee iendelee”..

The Nairobi governor took to the podium immediately after the crowed had jeered and booed the Kisumu governor Jackton Ranguma who was forced to cut short his speech and had come down on earth amid prolonged cheers, adulation and wild cat calls “Kidero Kidero”.

The huge crowed endorsed the Nairobi governor’s fundraising activities and renovations of schools, health facilities and other socio-economic projects in the region.

IT IS worthwhile to remember that the issue of questioning the sources of massive funds which Dr.Kidero was donating in his fundraising meetings was raised Raila’s home by by the Homa-Bay Senator who had alleged that such money could be used in dividing the Luos.

Ends