By Agwanda Jowi.
Luo Political leader and Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga has told Former Marie Stopes Country Director Cyprian Otieno Awiti to go for the seat of the governor and not Senator which he initially he had hinted he was going for.
Our investigations have revealed that Raila was told in the presence of Lands Minister James Orengo,Kisumu Advocate David Otieno Njer who has of late caught the eyes of Raila and he is said to be being pressured by Raila to go for the seat of Kisumu’s Governor and Professor Peter Wanyande that going for the governorship was the option for him with Raila saying that the Senator seat has “nothing ” financially in comparison to the seat of the governor.
“Ja Wigot” go for that seat and i will make sure you have it as i know that you will protect my interest” Rail told Cyprian adding that he wanted able and real men for the seats of Governorship adding that Gedion Ochanda was likely to take care of Siaya Count\ty as a Governor with Advocate Ken Okong’o being his man in Migori.
He leaded with Cyprian to campaign for the current Mbita MP Otieno Kajwang’ for the seat of Homa Bay Senator saying Kajwang’ is likely to face alot of resistance from the electorate..
And following the latest developments Kasipul-Kabondo and Karachuonyo constituencies have endorsed former Marie Stopes’s director Cyprian Awiti for the seat of governorship in Homa Bay County.
Speaking over the weekend during a funds drive in aid of Wire secondary School in Rachuonyo South district, five leaders;Kisumu billionaire and Director of Bridgestone Construction Company Eng. Tom Awino Okoko , the area’s Party of National Unity stalwart Mr. Akira Ngadi, Oyugis Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Omondi Fuony, Cllr. Okinyi Rao and and Karachuonyo ODM chairman Jack Nduri made what they called ‘Wire Declaration’ proposing Mr. Awiti as the sole candidate to gun for the seat.
The leaders described the former NGO executive as a man of untainted track records whose desire to develop Nyanza region has endeared him with grassroots attachment following his well demonstrated commitment to improve the livelihoods of people without showing political interest over two decades.
“We want somebody like Awiti who has demonstrated successful and proper management of huge resources to be our governor. We can’t allow anybody to manage the sh. 3bn plus from the Central Government by virtue of populist style of leadership” said Ngadi.
However, during the same forum Nduri and Cllr. Fuony proposed Nairobi businessman Mr.Sam Wakiaga for seat of senate saying he is a good combination with Awiti based on his track record if they were elected.
Nduri said it is foolhardy and pretentious for those who lived in towers to climb down and start behaving as if they have the plight of the people at heart, while they never cared a just a short while ago when they were in strategic positions for the sake of winning the coveted seats.
Cllr. omondi Fwony cautioned electorate against electing those eyeing governorship for the sake of noting that the position of governorship can propel one to presidency just like in United Sates which he said has majority as presidents except for Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy who successfully aspired for presidency while they were senators.
“You should take time to understand the true value of the position of governor before you decide whom to elect, because the position is for a future presidential material” he said.
Awiti, who confirmed his readiness to run for governor, said Kenyans owe the new political dispensation to Prime Minister Raila Odinga whose relentless dreams for the rebirth of new Kenya materialized into a new constitution.
He urged Kenyans to show gratitude to Prime Minister by voting him as the next president of the republic as an appreciation for his die hard legacy for a better Kenya.
ENDS
While I do respect your sentiments about Kisumu Advocate David Otieno Njer who has of late caught the eyes of Raila and he is said to be being pressured by Raila to go for the seat of Kisumu’s Governor and Professor Peter Wanyande that going for the governorship was the option for him with Raila saying that the Senator seat has “nothing ” financially in comparison to the seat of the governor”. I think it’s a slap on the face of the people of Kisumu country to be given leaders who are just concerned about looting of our County instead offering good leadership.”Based on the statement made by the writer”. PM should know that this time Kisumu people will not just rubber stamp selected leaders from the bush whose leadership qualities can’t be verified, it’s high time Kisumu to be given mandate to elect their Governor in a democratic way. Mr. David Otieno Njer must convince the people of Kisumu what he is going to do for them and what he has done to Kisumu people a part from being an advocate. I’m commenting as a Kisumu residence who is Diaspora and concerned about the way politics is being played in my country Kenya. Already we have few individuals who have shown interest to vie for the seat , let not use the name of PM to scare them a way that you’re in a way related to him. This time the race is very tough in Kisumu, we have even people coming from USA to contest the seat given that, they were the driving force for devolution in Kenya and already has the experience to run the counties as Governors.
Leo,
Dont live under any illusion. Cyprian cannot get even 1,000 votes in Homa-bay county.
Cyprian Awiti ‘tosha’ for Homabay governor.
Am saddened and scared by this write up. Raila, being what he is to the Luo, I included and the whole country, should never be seen to be selecting leaders for the people. He has countlessly said that kenya is a democratic country that in essence means it espouses and practices the holding of fair elections during which the people elect leaders they have firm conviction will work to better their lives. That being the case, am saddened to read that he is pushing some leaders to go for certain positions. I urge Raila through this writer to repeat the statement he made endorsing leaders to positions and he shall regret losing substantial Luo vote, leave a lone votes from other communities. Could this writer be misusing Raila’s name in early campaigning for the mentioned individuals?I think we have matured enough as a people to be left alone to elect the people we want. My candidate for Homa Bay senate seat is the already tested former administrator and business mogul Eng. Philip Okundi. Lets wait the ballot time.
Let us aviod and discoourage the politics of recycling the same old faces as if only they have the capacity and records to deserve leadership. Are they not leaders already? Why can’t people themselves propose and elect the persons they want instead of always being told who to vote for and not vote for, and in the end we cry that those we ‘elected’ are not serving our interests. It’s because we never elected them in the first place; they were selected and elected beforehand to serve the interests of their sponsors!
Let us learn form other regions where democracy is preached and practised regardless, where people elect leaders independently and regardless of party, and examples and development records of such leaders abound for people who travel and live elsewhere, unlike those who are forever rooted in Nyanza.
Leadership is about service and not about pleasing and agreeing with everyone, and is why Nyanza has remained underdeveloped and inactive politically as compared to others because the so-called elected leaders have to follow and do as told by the party leadership. No post is a reserve for anyone, and its time that is preached and practised.
My candidate for the Governor of Homa-bay county is Mr. Obonyo Konyuka – watch this space
Kisumu county people beware of those learders interested in looting your resources you deserve focus leaders who have your interest at heart.
Why the big deal of what Raila said and who he prefers. Raila has a constitutional right to have preferred candidates and even campaign for them. It is, however, the prerogative of the electorate to elect the candidates of their own choices. That is democracy.
Somebody has mentioned some people will be coming from USA with experience to be County governors. Tell me you are kidding! Let the people’s leadership be home grown and bred. Let others be aides and advisors only.
Luo Nyanza leaders have been at the forefront of championing for democratic change in the country. It is sad, nay, a paradox, that Luo Nyanza is ,arguably, the least democratized region in the country. Aspirants are free to float their names and test the waters and get onto the ballot. However, voters fromt he respective counties should be allowed to vote freely for their leaders. Kisumu County is bound to catapult into regional importance if well managed and if this fact does not dawn on the residents and voters, we will lag behind. All residents, voters and investors should come together and begin to chart a future for the county.
I think cyprian is capable the only problem is for him to let other people endorse him. He should personally come out and lay out his strategies for the county.
I’m concerned kenyan in diaspora, I want urge my fellow kenyan more so from Nyanza leaders including Pm, this time round let the people decide for their leaders. We want development oriented people not politicians.
remember AWITI MIGHT HAVE reached his peak .the past saays little of the future .it is only God’s grace we need in our leaders