Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda is walking a tight political rope barely 7 months after the General Election.
Ojienda, who has a wild dream of becoming the county Governor after Prof Anyang Nyong’o has missed the mark in his pursuit to become the Governor.
Nyongo
Observers say the Senator made his intention known even before he was elected to represent Kisumu people in the Senate.
“Him, the Senate was just a launching pad, his eyes was on the Governor’s seat in 2027, you don’t do that in politics,” said George Oruko, a member of Kisumu Bunge La Wanainchi.
His conduct during the electioneering period and his conduct now after being elected, has left him caged, walking alone as party members and diehards kept off him.
Oruko went ahead to say of Ojienda, “I have studied politics since the advent of multiparty. What Ojienda is doing is suicidal”.
He claims that the Senator is working solo, with a few hecklers he pays per diem, some belittling ODM party leader Raila Odinga.
Ojienda
“If I was him, I will diligently serve the people of Kisumu in the Senate then open the lid on my intention to take over from Nyong’o in 2025,” said Oruko.
Another observer took issue with Ojienda, whom he describes as a political novice, for involving himself in activities not in the line of a Senator.
“We saw him the other couple of weeks, walking from one office to the other of Kenya Kwanza cabinet secretaries. He is lost,” said Omar Hassan.
His visit to CSs offices got him have a backlash from Kisumu Assembly Majority Whip Hon Sheth Kanga, popularly known as Adui Nyang.
Adui Nyang
Kanga opines that the Senator is a wild dog running to every house, searching nothing.
“He knows very well that our party leader Raila is still contesting this election of William Ruto, yet our Senator is busy visiting Ruto’s CSs,” he said.
Many believes that it is not the duty of the Senator to look for development for the counties from the national government.
“We have two centres of power, the counties and the national governments, but they are interdependent. The Governor and the local cabinet secretaries have the right to bargain for development from the national government,” said Kanga.
Kanga who is the Market Milimani MCA says Ojienda is acting like a form one, who is happy to have joined secondary school.
“He is overjoyed, running past his boss. Always offside,” said Kanga.
To him, that person who will take over from Governor Nyong’o in 2027 is not Ojienda, whose County Manager Simon Peter is on a drive to meet every stakeholder in Kisumu in preparation for 2027.
The issue of Simon Peter, despite a debate for another day, is another hot potato that has left residents wondering why they walk early to vote in a leader who has delegated all his functions to a little known moody Karachuonyo man whom they never voted.
“Simon Peter, his shadow Maurice Owaka and three shapeless women are the latest rulers in town, they man the Senator’s office and also imagining that he’s already a Governor,”. Owako and crew is the worst parrot like, clueless and contentless, in summary empty clique one would want to engage in any reasonable debates on social media,” equipped a resident.
With the heat on the ground, Ojienda has decided to keep off Kisumu, only sneaks in and run away leaving everything to Simon Peter to run his affairs.
“If you remove money from Ojienda, he remains nothing,” said Omar. “To him money is everything, but that fact will be explained in 2027, we will eat but Baba (Raila) will give us direction”.
Oruko went further to say that the constant attack on Ojienda by MCA Kanga is suspect.
“When Adui (Kanga) speaks, think twice. He’s a mouth piece for two people, Raila and Nyong’o,” he said.
Joshua Oron
Kanga has of late been on the heels of Kisumu Central MP Dr Joshua Oron, who’s touted as the replacement of Nyong’o and this has sent shivers on the spines of Ojienda supporters who are permanently on commission.
“The Ojienda brigade have been fighting Dr Oron for way too long, that’s where they miss the point. Instead of marketing their failed project (Ojienda), they’re busy trolling MP Oron,” said Oruko.
He noted that Ojienda’s team have been trying to copycat what MP Oron does, not knowing that Oron is a philsthropist who started helping the less fortunate in the society way back in the 90s.
MP Oron has dedicated his time to work for the people of Kisumu Central but the hyena hungry lot supporting Ojienda has kept on dragging him into the 2027 gubernatorial contest.
“What I like about Oron is that he has not said that he’s in the ballot in 2027 for Kisumu Governor position, he’s serving the people,” said Omar.
Ojienda’s relationship with the party leader has equally been a concern to the people of Kisumu.
His defiance during the election of the Speaker where the clueless Elisha Oraro was reelected is not a forgetten misdemeanor.
But the writings are on the wall for him to see even though he still forces visits to Raila’s place and take photos, which are then widely shared by his hungry subjects.
“He lost out in the defence of Azimio in the Supreme Court. Later lost out in the powerful committees in the Senate. He’s a bitter man now, nowonder he voted on the contrary during the IEBC amendment Bill,” said Oruko.
However, his people say he will surmount all to emerge victorious in 2027 gubernatorial contest.
“We are only waiting to see who is in the new IEBC, then we bankroll. Already, the police is in. We’re going to take this by all means,” a member of his team was quoted saying.
