The just concluded governor election in Kakamega has defined the leadership of the most politically strategic county in the former Western region.
ODM, whose popularity has been on the decline in the county since 2013, has once again asserted itself as the party of choice in Kakamega, the third largest in terms of population.
The election in the county which concluded on Monday, has seen ODM bag nine of the 12 parliamentary seats, governor, woman representative and 48 of the 60 MCAs, making it the dominant party.
The Raila Odinga led-ODM will have absolute control of the county assembly to assist Governor-elect Fernandes Barasa in managing county affairs.
The party's performance in the August 9 polls in the county has dealt a blow to ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi who has been struggling to neutralise ODM dominance in the county and Western region since his exit from the party in 2013.
The loss in Kakamega by ANC added to the Mudavadi-led party's poor show having lost top county leadership in the entire Western region.
Mudavadi’s own governor and MCA are both in ODM while the MP won on a UDA ticket, raising questions whether he is still interested in the ANC.
Mudavadi’s party now controls only two of the 12 constituencies in Kakamega, Malava and Shinyalu. In the 2017 general election, ANC won Butere, Khwisero, Matungu, Lurambi, Lugari and Senate seat through Cleophas Malala.
The performance indicates resurgence of ODM in Kakamega after 10 years of struggle.
UDP leader Cyrus Jirongo said the low voter turnout during the Kakamega governor race was caused by the confusion in the presidential election and electioneering fatigue among voters.
Jirongo said people always want to vote to be in government and the standoff in the presidential election confused them more as to who between ODM leader Raila Odinga and President-elect William Ruto would form the next government.
Political scientist Prof Amukowa Anangwe said the small margin between Barasa and Malala means that his political legitimacy is in question, and he has to tread carefully.
He further said the county was divided and he (Barasa) has to ensure he brings everyone together and heal the county.
The political analyst said one cannot use the outcome of the election as a basis to predict the future of parties because many dynamics come into play during an election, particularly like the one in Kakamega and Mombasa.
“ODM supporters may have come out and cast their votes in anger to demonstrate their frustrations,” Anangwe said.
“There are people who voted for ODM because of the narrative that Raila was going to win because he had the state backing and there are those who voted for ODM because of fear that they will waste their vote by voting for Ruto whom the government is against.”
(edited by Amol Awuor)
