Writea Leo Odera Omolo.
ODM officials in Homa-Bay County branch have strongly refuted claims that there was a political wars between the Homa-Bay governor Cyprian Otieno Awiti and the Karachuonyo MP Eng. James K. Rege.
The allegations about the perceived rift between the two top politicians in Karachuonyo constituency within Homa-Bay county contained in an article which appeared in one of the weekly newspapers early this week.
It claims that the disagreement between the two top party officials has come about following individuals interests in the recently concluded preliminary nominations. The by-election was called to fill the vacant KibiriI MCA’s ward following the murder three months agoof its former incumbent the late Boaz ondiek, who was gunned down by unknown persons at night while a sleep in his rural home.
The result of the nomination exercises which were held at Kandiege secondary School and supervised by two officials sent from the party’s headquarters at the Orange house in Nairobi and also by the County branch officials was described as one of the most peaceful and democratic nominations ever held in the region in the recent years.
The publications complained off had stated interalia that Governor Awiti was backing one aspirant while MP Rege was supporting the other. But the article allegedly written by one Jeff Otieno Aguko did not mentioned specifically as to whose favorite candidate had won the nomination to contest the election proper which is scheduled for August 7, 2014.
The ODM head office had posted one Juma Nyabinda to go and supervise the exercises. He was assisted by the former Nyakach MP MP Peter Odoyo while the County ODM branch team was led by the branch chairman Martin Otieno Ogindo, the branch secretary, Eng James K.Rege and treasurer Achilla Gogo and others.
The officials rubbished the report dismissing it as the work of super-extortionist and propagandists. Party officials at the branch and members alike, however, advised all the elected persons to respect one another and work together harmoniously while avoiding sponsoring slanderous articles against each other.
ODM as a party, they said, would not hesitate from taking a stern disciplinary action those involved in clandestine activities and the spreading of malicious propaganda. Governor Awiti and MP Rege have the responsibility to display a high quality of dynamic political leadership and at the same time avoid working while panicking in fear of each other. There is no elections coming soon in the area until the 2017 therefore the two are still having plenty of time to deliver the goods to the electorate thereafter which they would be qualified to attract the electorate to elect them back to their respective offices when the time comes
Awiti and Rege should cultivate a working friendly relationship in order to ease any tension that could have arisen as the result of the malicious publications and at the same time ensure that they restrained their supporters and aides from acting emotionally in manner which could be viewed as being tantamount to harassment..
The article has elicited a lot of controversies and raised political temperatures nib Karachuonyo sparking off claims that governor Awiti and his close political associates might have overreacted over a non-existence issues. The two should also thrive to discourage idle talkers and rumor-mongers and instead redouble their effort in development activities.
The Karachuonyo electorate wanted nothing from the two but the delivery of goods to the electorate.
The cross section of those interviewed residents of Karachuonyo alleged that of the office of the governor at Homa-Bay is full of loiterers and loose talkers, they should be engaged on constructive activities that could promote development an growth, while MP Rege is busy legislating in Nairobi and has shown less interest in the governor’s work.
Ends