MAJOR POLITICAL FALLOUT IN LUO-MYYANZA OVER OTIENO KAJWANG’S LEADERSHIP IS INEVITABLE.
News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.
What was originally thought to be a simple matter and an internal political wrangling within the ODM appeared to have taken a new dimension which could consign the party to its political dustbins and doldrums unless a quick solution.
It all started last when the officials from seven sub-branches from seven parliamentary constituencies that forms Homa-Bay County converged at theHoma-Bay Farmers Training School and unanimously voted out the branch supremo Senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang’
Sen. Kajwang’ was kicked out together with his acting vice chairperson Mrs Monica Amolo. And a new branch executive commitee was formed headed by the former Homa-Bay MP Martin Otieno Ogindo with a Kasipul politician Charles Ong’ondio Were as his deputy.
Homa-Bay County has eight sub-branches representing eight parliamentary constituencies of Mbita, Suba, Ndhiwa, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Kasipul and Kabondo-Kasipul. Only Ndhiwa sub-branch was notably absent at the meeting.
The original agenda of the meeting was meant to welcome back to the party those members who had crossed over to other parties and contested the March 4, 2013 elections using those parties nomination certificates. Members had taken the nomination certificates from parties which preconceived to be friendly to CORD Coalition. The exodus was caused by the much flawed ODM Primary nomination system which was so chaotic.
However, the mood at the meeting abruptly changed and the name of Senator Otieno Kajwang’ featured prominently when some delegates accused the former Immigration and Registration of Persons minister in the Kibaki-Raila coalition government.
The songs of “Kajwang’ Must Go” rent the air with some of the delegates accusing the Senator of bad-mouthing other elected leaders. The other key position in the branch which was left untouched is that of the branch general secretary the position which is held by the Karachuonyo MP Eng. James K Rege.
Racting to the move the ODM acting leader Prof. Anyang Nyong’o was quick in dismissing the ousting of Kajwang’ as illegal and not in line with the ODM constitution. Nyong’o said that the headquarters will under no circumstances ratify the removal of the Senator from the County branch leadership. countered Prof Nyong’o’s remarks by issuing a threat that if Otieno Kajwang’is indispensable then they would walk out of ODM en mess, and leave the party to its owners who included Otieno Kajwang’.
Signs of Otieno Kajwang’ surfaced last weekend when hundreds of mourners at Konyango Jieri village near Kendu-Bay violently heckled and booed his deputy Mrs Monica Amolo forcing her to cut short her speech. He had made a veiled criticism of the Nairobi governor dr. Evans Odhimbo Kidero who waves is sweppng the luo-Nyanza region like tsunami. Mrs Amolo had cautioned the Luos against readily accepting the money whose sources is not known to them.”If one of your children brought home a huge sums of money please do not just accept it blindly without quarrying about its original source. It could turn out to be stolen money.” She thundered amid massive murmuring of disapproval.
The charged crowd jumped to their feet and began heckling, booing and making wild-cat calls.
The incident occurred during the well attended burial of Mrs Pamela Atieno Ezra Odondi Opar the managing director of the Big Five chain of hotels in Kendu-Bay town. She was buried at her family home at Konyango Jieri village about one kilometer from the town. The burial ceremony was attended by Homa-Bay County governor Cyprian Otieno Awiti in the company of dozens of his County executive members, the Area MP James K. Rege, the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Mzee Meshack Riaga Ogalo and many ODM local and regional luminaries.
Those in attendance felt that Mrs Amolo was directing her veil criticism to the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Kidero who of late has been criss-crossing the the entire Luo-Nyanza conducting high profile and successful fundraising for the various socio-economic development projects.
The huge crowd appeared to have been worked up when Mrs Amolo told the mourners that she was representing Senator Otieno Kajwang’ who was unable to attend the function himself. Earlier on during the week, Senator Kajwang’ had faced a near violent street demonstration by ODM youth at Rodi- Kopany town about 10 kilometers south east of homay-Bay town. The youth danced and blocked the junction of the road which is linking Ndhiwa, Rongo, Rangwe and Homay town forcing motorists to stop for close to two hours and sung anti-Kajwang’ songs using unprintable words.
Kajwang’ is a confidant of the Luo political kingpin Raila Amolo Odinga kicked off his anti-Kidero crusade last December during the end of the year get together party at the Opoda Bar Opuka rural home of Raila Odinga in Bondo when he said that people of Nyanza must question the source of the colossal amount of money the Nairobi governor was dishing out extravagantly at his Harambee fund raising meetings in Luo-Nyanza. Raila did not respond to Kajwang’s remarks, but the chairman of the Luo Council of elders {splinter Group Mzee Eli Otondi caution the people to be wary of those who might be using huge sums of ill-gotten money to divide the Luos.
So far Dr. Kidero and Raila have shared three plate forms on two occasions. and the two appeared to be getting well with no signs of suspicion on their faces. The first such meeting was the Harambee held in Kisumu City’s Kaloleni Ward and the second such meeting came last month during the fundraising in aids of the Jua Kali artisans in which close to Kshs 16 million was realized last month.
Anti Kajwang’ sentiments is so rampant in many parts of Luo-Nyanza, and if Raila Odinga cannot intervene in time and bring back sanity in the Orange party, it now threatens to split the community into two major political camps hostile to each other. The majority of Luos from the greater Southern Nyanza could easily jump the ship and join Dalmas Otieno in his still yet to be named new political party.
Raila must also instill some amount of discipline in his party by cautioning those members with loose tanks.
ENDS