Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has slammed newly elected members of the county assembly and aspiring candidates for the Speaker’s position for engaging in ‘disruptive’ and premature campaigns as Azimio is still smarting from its presidential loss.
The governor, who was re-elected for a second term, accused the politicians of holding meetings to discuss the forthcoming election of the Speaker of the assembly when the region was still absorbing the shocks of the elections and a disappointing Supreme Court ruling.
In a statement, Governor Nyong’o described the actions of the three aspirants for Speaker as shameless ambitions.
“I am shocked to hear that at a time when the whole Azimio fraternity is still in deep reflection on the way forward after the tragedy we have gone through, a few selfish individuals have forced the assembly into a near frenzy campaign mood, using money shamelessly to buy support, which is very embarrassing to the national party leadership,” he said.
He asked MCAs to stay away from disruptive meetings convened to discuss the Speaker’s position, saying these could cause discord in the party.
“We are going through difficult times. Indiscipline and shameless ambition is not a useful asset for the ODM party at this point in time in particular,” he added.
He advised the assembly leadership to wait for directions from the Orange Democratic Movement over the elections.
“That directive will be issued soon in the same manner in which the six-piece voting policy was given and which facilitated the election of all current party MCAs,” he said.
But the statement has not gone down well with some residents of Kisumu, who feel MCAs were being muzzled and being directed to vote in a certain manner instead of being left to make the decision on their own.
Intense lobbying
There has been intense lobbying across the county at public rallies, night meetings and on social media, where a purported report on the ratings of the aspirants has been doing the rounds.
The front-runners are Mr Elisha Jack Oraro, former Speaker of the county assembly, Mr Samuel Ong’ow, a former councillor and former majority leader in the first assembly, and lawyer Samuel Onyango.
Mr Oraro hopes to retain the seat, which he took over from Onyango Oloo, who was impeached over accusations of corruption.
Mr Oraro is pegging his hopes on the goodwill of Governor Nyong’o, having worked with him well in the latter’s first term.
He is also from Kisumu West, a sub-county that has not benefited from regional balancing in the distribution of seats.
Governor Nyong’o is from Seme, while his deputy Mathews Owili is from Nyakach, as is Senator Tom Ojienda, and Woman Representative-elect Ruth Odinga represents the diaspora or non-natives.
Besides Kisumu West, those who feel they deserve the seat are people from Kano, covering mostly Nyando, Muhoroni and parts of Kisumu East.
Also in the race is former Masogo Nyangoma MCA Ong’ow, now a liaison officer in the Nyong’o administration. He is from Kano and was instrumental in marshalling Kano votes for the governor.
The Kano people feel giving him that position will be a reward for delivering the seat.
But the challenge they have to contend with is the high number of new MCAs who may not have a particular leaning and would have to be wooed apart from being whipped along party lines.
However, the winner of the seat is likely to be influenced by the top leadership of ODM, which attained a super majority by amassing 34 of 35 MCA seats.
