Former Raila's aide Caroli turns down offer to rejoin ODM

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s aide Caroli Omondi has refused to bow to pressure from ODM to have him rejoin the party ahead of the August 9, elections.

This after ODM national chairman John Mbadi, on Friday, appealed to him to return to the party and vie for Suba South parliamentary seat in August polls.

Mbadi, who is the current Suba South MP, argued that Caroli stands a higher chance of succeeding him.

He asked Caroli to forget the past political differences and make an about-turn so that they can unite their supporters under ODM.

Mbadi who is serving his third term as MP has declared his interest in the Homa Bay governor seat.

“I appeal to Caroli to return to ODM and succeed me as Suba South MP. Caroli let’s forget the past and work as a team because I know your strength,” Mbadi said.

He spoke at Nyatambe village in Suba South during the burial of Caroli’s mother Rose Achola.

However, Caroli rejected the olive branch by Mbadi saying he feared contesting on the ODM ticket.

The former Chief of Staff at Raila’s office argued that ODM had shortchanged him twice and denied him a nomination ticket despite winning in primaries.

Caroli vehemently said he was not ready to contest the seat on the orange party ticket.

“I am one of the founder members of ODM and I understand the party better than Mbadi who is the chairman. ODM has shortchanged me twice hence I have a reason to shy away,” Caroli said.

He said he will contest Suba South parliamentary seat but on a ticket of another political party under Azimio La Umoja Movement.

Caroli argued that he has defeated Mbadi twice in nominations but was denied the ODM party certificate.

“My party is Raila Odinga. I am going to contest the seat on a ticket of a political party that supports Raila’s presidency,” he added.

There has been stiff political competition between Mbadi and Caroli where the 2017 elections became a turning point for the latter who quit the ODM party.

The fierce political rivalry also saw a split among clan members constituting the constituency.

Mbadi hails from the Kalisuria clan and Caroli comes from Kadibuoro.

The differences also saw minor clans aligned themselves between the two.

Clans such as Kamwala, Orore and Ong'ongo were allied to Kadibuoro while Kachuodho and Nyatambe among others sided with Kalisuria.

On Friday, Mbadi confessed that Caroli gave him hard time in the ODM party primaries.

“I don’t want to go into detail of who defeated the other in the last ODM nomination but both of us know what happened. The party might have given me the ticket because I’m the chairman,” Mbadi said.

The burial was also attended by Homa Bay governorship aspirants Evans Kidero and Louis Ogingo.

Homa Bay Chief of Protocol John Apollo is also eyeing Suba South parliamentary.

Apollo said his focus is on promoting infrastructural development.

“I am going to pick from where Mbadi left so that we can have good roads and other amenities in our constituency,” Apollo said.

Edited by B.Marita