Allegations are flying between ODM candidates and their independent rivals as campaigns intensify in Homa Bay county.
Battle lines have been drawn between Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga and former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero who are both looking to succeed Governor Cyprian Awiti, whose second and final term will end after the August 9 polls. Wanga is seeking the seat on ODM ticket whereas Kidero comes in as an independent candidate.
The former Nairobi Governor went independent after ODM handed Gladys Wanga the ticket following a consensus meeting in Nairobi between the latter and other candidates including; Suba South MP John Mbadi and former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga.
Other candidates for the same post were: Homa Bay Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata, Kuppet secretary general Akello Misori and former Homa Bay county secretary Isaiah Ogwe.
Governor Cyprian Awiti and ODM party leader Raila Odinga made an appearance at the said meeting.
Evans Kidero and businessman Louis Ogingo opposed how Wanga got the party ticket, saying they were not invited to the meeting. Moreover, Kidero has since in his campaigns urged Homa Bay residents to reject Wanga at the ballot claiming she was un-procedurally given the ODM ticket.
Furthermore, many other politicians have joined Kidero saying they were shortchanged in the ODM primaries. They are accusing Wanga of conspiring with ODM National Elections Board officials to give their preferred candidates party tickets. The party had its primaries in Homa Bay on April 14, 2022.
“We must stop Wanga and her accomplices from ascending to any political leadership in Homa Bay because they messed up with ODM primaries. Let’s reject them and send them home,” Kidero said.
While addressing residents at Ndiru market in Kagan ward, Rangwe constituency, on Saturday, May 7 Kidero accused ODM of imposing leaders on Homa Bay residents.
The majority of ODM MCA aspirants and those seeking parliamentary seats are facing rebellion from residents due to the manner in which they got the party tickets.
Homa Bay County has eight constituencies and 40 wards. The party conducted primaries in 38 wards, 2 constituencies and for the woman representative post. Direct tickets were handed over to Senator Moses Kajwang, Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were, Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara, her Rangwe counterpart Lilian Gogo, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, and Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo. Caroli Omondi who is Raila’s former aide also got a direct ticket to compete for the Suba South parliamentary seat.
Kidero said that Wanga and allies are instigating voter suppression by telling Homa Bay residents that they will be declared winners after elections.
“They have sensed defeat; that’s why they say they will be declared winners. Such intimidation and threats can create voter apathy, which is against a popular vote for Raila’s presidential quest,” argued Kidero.
Independent candidates in Kidero’s camp include; former chief advisor to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Kenneth Kambona, Tabitha Nyandiek, Elizabeth Ogweno and Moline Ngala.
On Friday, May 6 Wanga told Kidero to prepare for unquestionable defeat claiming he is selling an unpopular political agenda in Homa Bay.
“Kidero must agree with the consensus outcome because he was the one who was pushing for it. He boycotted the consensus meeting without giving clear reasons,” Wanga said during the homecoming party of MP Were in Oyugis, Kasipul constituency.
The Homa Bay Woman Representative played an audio clip where Kidero is purportedly heard asking the party to use consensus method in nominating gubernatorial candidates.
“He was given a direct ticket in 2013 and 2017 to contest governorship in Nairobi. Kidero shouldn’t be criticizing us because he has also been a beneficiary of a free ticket,” she said.
In that same spirit senator Kajwang asked residents to vote in only ODM candidates to make the party strong. “We’re calling for six-piece voting because ODM is the house we have in Azimio-One Kenya coalition,” Kajwang said.
