The Migori
ODM office was partially burnt ahead of its launch
on Monday, a ceremony that
deputy leaders
Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) were to attend.
A petrol bomb was reportedly thrown over the perimeter wall on Sunday night, starting a fire that residents put out.
The party's county officials, led by secretary Joseph Olala and youth leader Eric Opany, said they were called to the scene in the morning.
"We were ready to welcome the Governors to open the office,” Olala said, adding others in
Uriri and Kuria West constituencies were also to be launched for use during campaigns.
“We reported the matter to police and are waiting for investigations for the person behind the attack to be reprimanded. We also recommend that the politician behind this be barred from the primaries."
Opany claimed a senior politician in the county was behind the attack as he had been attempting to stop the function since Sunday evening. He did not name the politician.
Migori youths demonstrate outside Governor Okoth Obado's office accusing him of disrupting the opening of ODM's office, April 3, 2017. /MANUEL ODENY
Yesterday night, ODM event organisers were barred from the unfinished county stadium where they were to put up a podium and a public address system.
They were told they needed to seek
clearance from the Migori government.
The venue for the meeting had not been confirmed by press time.
Youths demonstrated in
Migori town over the standoff, blaming Governor Okoth Obado.
ODM acquired the office on March 2, ending a prolonged political standoff with Obado over ownership.
The party's officials in the county rejected a new office donated by the Governor and informed him that they had acquired new premises in a
letter dated February 26.
They said this would avoid confusion and ensure that only one office in the county had its initials.
The new office is located
right behind the Governor’s in Migori town.
ODM officials prepare the Migori office for its official opening, April 3, 2017. /MANUEL ODENY
Renovations at the
Migori county stadium at a cost of Sh29 million left the first office locked in an exercise that is yet to be completed.
ODM officials had been asking the county to let them access the office, saying they had been forced to hold meetings in hotel rooms.
On October 5 last year, the division played out in front of party leader Raila Odinga when youths heckled the Governor and stopped him from officially opening the office.
ODM national chairman John Mbadi had
saying it did not mean Obado would be favoured in the primaries.