The race to unseat Luanda MP Chris Omulele appears to have narrowed down to a three-horse contest weeks to the August 9 polls.
Initially, there were six hopefuls: Omulele, Dick Maungu DAP-K and Tom Atingo of UDA, Hakomere Boaz of PPK, Albert Obbuyi of Jubilee and Noah Okaya of ANC.
However, Okaya pulled out of the race before being cleared by IEBC.
“I have decided to pull out of the race due to some court cases that have been filed against me, but I will seek clarifications with the court later on to clear my name,” Okaya said.
This left four to square it out on the ballot with Omulele. But two of the contestants, Boaz and Obbuyi, appear to have taken a low profile.
This has left Omulele, Maungu and Atingo as the three main contestants in the race.
Education, security, unemployment and infrastructure are the main issues the candidates are promising to tackle if elected.
Omulele is seeking a third term under ODM party and is banking on his development track record.
Omulele said he is fully focused on education, socio-economic, sports and infrastructure across the constituency.
“What I have done as an MP is within my capacity and the budget that I have,” he said at a past event.
“People will always say Omulele has not done this and has not done that but what they forget is that the resources we have limit us on what we are doing.”
Omulele said it's easier to criticise a man in the arena without knowing what he or she is going through.
Atingo, who is the Luanda town MCA and the leader of minority in the Vihiga assembly, is banking on his political development within the ward.
Maungu and Atingo have intensified their campaigns in Wemilabi and Emabungo wards to unseat the incumbent.
“It’s time to have a new leadership in this constituency. We need leadership that will be there for all people,” Maungu said.
Edited by A.N
