•Ombara wants to replace incumbent Rosa Buyu who has shifted her political interest to the Kisumu West parliamentary seat.
• Ombara, who is seeking the ODM ticket, has started the hunt for votes by meeting traders, women and youth groups, and opinion leaders.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Former Kisumu city manager Doris Ombara has declared interest in the county Woman Rep seat.
She wants to replace incumbent Rosa Buyu, who has shifted her political interest to the Kisumu West parliamentary seat and unseat incumbent MP Olago Aluoch, who defeated her in 2013.
Buyu’s seat has so far attracted eight aspirants. They are former Kisumu Tourism executive Rose Kisia, former Citizen’s Convention Party leader Grace Akumu and Kisumu Maendeleo Ya Wanawake chairperson Caren Aketch.
Others eyeing the seat are philanthropist Beatrice Atieno, teacher Valentine Otieno, current Kisumu Land executive Judith Atyang and Central Seme MCA Sally Okudo.
Ombara, who is seeking the ODM ticket, has started the hunt for votes by meeting traders, women and youth groups, and opinion leaders.
On Tuesday, she met voter registration mobilisers who included county government workers and traders.
Ombara, who comes from Muhoroni, exuded confidence that she would win the seat. The former city manager will bank on her development track record during her 10-year tenure.
“I used public funds prudently and managed to initiate various projects in the city. I was a loyal and selfless worker under former Governor Jack Ranguma and incumbent Governor Anyang' Nyong’o,” she said.
She cited the ongoing construction of Kibuye, Chichwa market, the Sh241 million non-motorised transport system and centre of excellence schools as some of the projects she initiated.
Ombara pledged to use her international network to mobilise funds for project implementation if elected.
“Most donors have confidence in me because I used their money prudently. I will write proposals seeking funding for projects. I have already written some proposals,” she said.
She said she wants to initiate economic empowerment programmes to eradicate poverty and improve health and education.
Ombara said most residents are faced with serious lack of food. “I look forward to building on projects that have been initiated by Rose Nyamunga (now a nominated senator) and Buyu under their leadership and implement new ones,” Ombara said.
She said she plans to initiate mega projects to benefit residents instead of small projects which only help a few people.
Ombara urged residents eligible as voters to register and elect ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Kisumu Bus Park chairman Shem Ochuodho, who coordinates voter mobilisation in Kisumu Central, said Ombara is development-oriented.
He urged voters to elect Ombara based on her track record.
Ochuodho also urged leaders and residents to unite and mobilise potential voters to register to enable Raila to clinch the presidency.
Other aspirants have also given their campaign pledges.
Kisia, who has emerged as one of the frontrunners, said if elected she will improve access to education, promote income-generating activities and improve food security.
She is a lecturer at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. In 2013, she lost the seat to Nyamunga, who is now eyeing the Senate seat.
Kisia is seeking the ODM ticket for the race.
Akumu, who has joined the ODM party, said she is in the race.
She has promised to uplift residents economically through agribusiness, talent identification, sports, music and art and promoting culture.
Akumu promised to support women and youth engaged in small-scale businesses, bursary provision to needy children, students and prioritisation of widows’ income generation activities.
Atyang, who is yet to resign as the land executive, has not launched her campaign. She will bank on her track record in the health docket.
She hopes to get the ODM ticket.
“I want to make a difference, especially in empowering women and youth, talent search and development, provision of bursary to the needy and bright students,” Atyang said.
She said she wants to change the perception of women's representation from a passive to an active one. Atyang comes from Nyakach.
Okudo, who is also seeking the ODM party ticket, has started campaigns.
Atieno, the Maisha Project founder, is also seeking the ODM ticket. She remains optimistic that she will win the seat.
Atieno, who hails from Kolwa in Kisumu East subcounty, has initiated a free medical programme and 1,500 beneficiaries have been treated.
She said her mission is to transform lives and empower her community by providing lasting solutions to address poverty, hunger, disease, and under-education.
In 2008, she started the Maisha Project to ensure children have nutritious food in school.
There are more than 1,000 children under the Maisha Project from Kisumu. Otieno seeks to rally the youth to vote for her.
She said young people are capable of offering good leadership in the country and should be elected.
Otieno, who was born in Nyawita slums of Kisumu, said she wants to empower women and youth.
“I will provide solutions which are simple, practical, implementable, affordable and sustainable,” she said.
Otieno said the youths who make up 75 per cent of the vulnerable, especially young women and single mothers, need technical skills.
She also pledged an enabling environment for women and youth to do business and nurture innovative ideas.
Otieno has been moving round the county asking young people to register as voters as she seeks their support.