Raila pitches camp in Migori to neutralise UDA inroads

Opposition leader Raila Odinga led ODM party membership registration drive during his two-day weekend tour of Migori County.

Raila's tour is largely seen as aimed at undoing gains made by President William Ruto's UDA and other rival parties in the county.

"I heard Ruto and his team lie that they have registered over 100,000 people in Migori, where are those people? Ruto lies every day and that is his character,” he said.

On Saturday, Raila attended the burial of former Masaba MCA and 2022 Kuria West constituency party candidate Abedi Maroa at Kombe village.

He led registration drives in Nyatike constituency hosted by area MP Tom Odege, before he met county party delegates and officials in Migori town.

On Sunday, Raila opened new party offices in Uriri and Rongo constituencies whose MPs, Mark Nyamita and Paul Abuor, have since pledged allegiance to Ruto and decided to work with him.

Raila was accompanied by Governor Ochillo Ayacko, Senator Eddy Oketch, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed and Woman Representative Fatuma Mohammed. Nyamita and Abuor skipped the functions.

“I know these MPs, we call them jo miluma (people who can be enticed easily). It is clear they are looking for their own personal gains,” Raila said.

During the event, the ODM leader brokered a political truce between Ayacko and Masara.

“We need ODM leaders within our camps to stay united because already in Rongo and Uriri, we have rotten apples,” the former Prime Minister said.

ODM has been facing an onslaught in Migori pushed by former governor Okoth Obado who has turned some former legislators to UDA.

They included former Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga, former Migori MP John Pesa, former Awendo MP Jared Kopiyo and former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno.

Out of eight constituencies in Migori, UDA has been enjoying a strong support from the Kuria community.

The community has two constituencies, Kuria West and Kuria East, represented by Mathias Robi and Marwa Kitayama.

UDA has had an aggressive voter registration drive to make inroads in the area.

“We are here to stamp our authority and strengthen our party bases through youth registration and cast off dead wood in the forthcoming party grassroots elections from polling centers,” Raila said.

Ayacko said Nyamita and Abuor are sons who had planned with thieves to raid their father’s compound by opening the family's gate at night.

“Those two and other rebels are cursed since while we are defending our homestead from political raiders they have decided to open panya routes in fences,” he said.

Junet urged the rebel MPs to resign from ODM and seek fresh mandate from voters.

“We want to tell UDA and Ruto that our rebels are waiting for the wrath of people and voters. Soon and he should know our only source of direction is through Raila,” he said.

Odege, Masara, Owino, Oketch and Fatuma said Migori has only one party which is affiliated to Raila.