• Ochieng said whoever is picked by ODM for the Siaya governor race should expect stiff contest from Gumbo, who will fly the Movement for Democracy and Growth's flag.
• Speaking in his constituency on Saturday, Ochieng warned that it will not be a walk in the park for ODM to clinch the Siaya top seat.
Image: DICKENS WASONGA
Ugenya MP and MDG party leader David Ochieng has announced former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo as their Siaya governor candidate.
Ochieng said whoever is picked by rival ODM party for the Siaya 2022 governor race should expect a stiff contest from Gumbo, who will fly the Movement for Democracy and Growth's flag.
Speaking in his constituency on Saturday, Ochieng warned that it will not be a walk in the park for ODM to clinch the Siaya top seat.
“Engineer Nicholas Gumbo will be the MDG candidate for Siaya. We are confident we will beat you [ODM] in the Siaya gubernatorial election and beat you again, here in Ugenya,” the MP said during the burial of Michael Adewa at Sigweng-Karuoth village.
Gumbo, Senator James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo were present.
Ochieng, who beat ODM candidate Chris Karan in a hotly contested by-election in April 2019, said he would ensure his party bags the seat.
Siaya is Raila Odinga’s home county and the seat is held by Cornel Rasanga, who is serving his second and final term.
Rasanga won the seat in 2013 following a bruising battle between him and William Oduol.
In the 2017 elections, Rasanga again faced a serious challenge from Gumbo, who vied unsuccessfully as an independent candidate.
As of now, the key aspirants seeking the Orange ticket are Orengo and former police spokesman Charles Owino. Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi has bowed out of the race.
In a past interview with the Star, Owino vowed to battle for the ODM ticket to the end, saying he’s confident the party will conduct a free, fair and credible nomination.
But Orengo said it will be ill-advised to have fringe parties in Raila’s backyard.
“In Mombasa, Joho is mobilising support for Raila and ODM, it is the same in Mount Kenya where five governors have already endorsed Raila. This is what Governor Wycliffe Oparanya is doing in Kakamega. So why would we have fringe parties here in Siaya county?,” Orengo posed.
Ochieng said members of the Luo community are known to fight for good ideas, adding that the community has relentlessly fought for justice, fairness and expanded democratic space, which he noted must be seen to happen in Raila’s backyard.
“MDG will present candidates in the coming elections against ODM so that ideas are tested and the best candidates are elected,” he said.
The MP said the fact that ODM leader Raila is seeking the presidency doesn’t mean all the candidates presented by his party must be elected in Siaya county.
“That will not happen in Siaya county seat and Ugenya constituency. You can be sure ODM will sing ODM and MDG will also sing it’s song here. Begin to prepare for an MDG governor,” he said.
Ochieng said his party has plans to field candidates across the country.
“We already have candidates in Trans Nzoia, Kisii, Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Nairobi, Kajiado, Kwale, Lamu, Narok and Kilifi counties. We are all over the place and it will be very competitive,” he said.
On the voter registration apathy, the MP said Kenya must fix it’s politics to be relevant and appealing to the voters.
"There are many reasons why people are not registering as voters. Our politics has failed our people. People no longer look at politics as a solution to their problems. We must find a way of making our politics relevant, inspiring and worth voter’s time,” he said.
The lawmaker said the focus, in the next two to three months, should be on the issuance of identity cards in readiness for another round of mass voter registration in February and March next year.
MP Amollo said ODM had moved on in regards to the abortive BBI, saying focus right now is on Raila’s presidential quest.