•Obok was the MP in 1963 and 1966. Aringo lost to former political detainee Otieno Mak’Onyango in 1992 but he recaptured the seat in 1997.
•Since 2002, Alego Usonga has had the highest number of MPs in Siaya County, each serving just a single term. In 2002, George Weya was elected on Narc and in 2007 Edwin Yinda took it.
Image: DICKENS WASONGA
Since 1963, only two MPs have ever served the Alego Usonga constituency for more than a single term.
These two were Luke Obok and Oloo Aringo. The former education minister held the seat for four uninterrupted terms between 1974 to 1988.
Obok was the MP in 1963 and 1966. Aringo lost to former political detainee Otieno Mak’Onyango in 1992 but he recaptured the seat in 1997.
Since 2002, Alego Usonga has had the highest number of MPs in Siaya County, each serving just a single term. In 2002, George Weya was elected on Narc and in 2007 Edwin Yinda took it.
In 2013, Yinda lost to Omondi Muluan. Muluan lost it to Samuel Atandi in 2017.
And as the 122,000 registered voters from the constituency head to the poll in ten days' time, the question is, will history repeat itself?
Will they reward Muluan with another term as it happened to Aringo when he made a come back in 1997?
During an interview with the Star on Wednesday, Muluan asked the people of Alego Usonga to give him another opportunity to complete projects he initiated while in parliament.
Muluan hopes to ride on his popularity in Karuoth and Kakan clans.
These two clans have the highest number of voters which he believes accord him a head start against his rival, the incumbent Samuel Atandi.
"My track record in regards to development also speaks for itself. My five years were not wasted," he said.
In just five years as MP, Muluan said he put up five new secondary schools in Alego Usonga.
"I put up Karapul, Mahola, Nyasita, Usingo and Ojwando secondary schools, while my opponent has not done so. In the primary, I built 146 classrooms, the MP did 46," he said
During the same period, Muluan also established fertiliser stores in Boro, Uranga and Karemo where farmers would access the fertilisers free of charge from the national cereals and produce boards.
"Although health is devolved, I worked closely with the county government and from my own initiative, I purchased three ambulances that were serving as mobile clinics," he said.
Should he win the seat, Muluan plans to sponsor a bill in parliament that will ensure community health workers are recognised as medical staff and paid salaries.
"They play a critical role in the community but are largely ignored and given stipend which should not be the case," he noted.
The former MP is also not happy with the distribution and sharing of bursaries to learners.
"When I was the MP, I used to give each student 10,000 per year. This has been reduced to Sh 3, 000 per year by my opponent," he said.
"If I win, all students who score 350 will automatically qualify to get bursaries without having to apply for it. If Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga forms the next government and makes education free then I'll direct the funds to a feeding programme for all public schools."
Muluan took issue with the award tenders for CDF projects in the constituency.
"We must ensure that the projects are not skewed and are spread out to every part of the constituency. We will ensure projects are given to all deserving contractors and not my friends and staff," he said
He is banking on the support of the elderly voters and professionals who have thrown their weight behind his camp.
"Am not worried about not running on ODM at all. I beat ODM candidate in 2013 and am confident I will beat their candidate in this election too," he said.
Muluan is running on a DAP Kenya ticket.