Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga addresses residents of Kasipul Constituency on May 19, 2025. /GLADYS WANGA/XMain opposition party ODM has said it has no favourite candidate for the impending by-election in Homa Bay's Kasipul Constituency.
The seat fell vacant following the assassination of incumbent MP Charles Ong'ondo Were on April 30, 2025.
Kasipul is a perceived ODM stronghold with near-fanatical following for its leader, Raila Odinga.
Were was a Raila and ODM loyalist to a fault, and his replacement is largely expected to be a man or woman who toes the party line without question.
Speaking in Oyugis town on Monday, ODM national chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga allayed fears that the party would handpick Were's successor.
She said the party will leave the field open for interested aspirants to square it out at the ballot. No one will be favoured, she affirmed.
"They are those who will show interest in the Kasipul seat; that time will come when the National Assembly speaker declares the seat vacant. After that, IEBC will set a date for elections, and those seeking the seat will be known," she said.
ODM has a long and controversial history of bypassing competitive party nominations and issuing direct tickets to aspirants.
This practice has had both strategic motives and significant political repercussions, especially in perceived strongholds like Nyanza, sparking widespread protests and defections.
The defection of disgruntled aspirants to rival UDA or Jubilee has in past elections, weakened ODM's overall vote share leading to losses on some occasions.
Wanga sought to assure Kasipul residents that none of this will happen, as the party will exercise impartiality as it seeks to retain the seat in the impending by-election.
"As ODM, we will have nominations to pick a candidate who will fly our party ODM's flag in the election in this constituency. So, people should not be worried; they should not be in a hurry - let them stay calm," she said.
"Everyone will have a chance to speak to the people, and the people will have a chance to nominate the ODM flag-bearer who will finish the remainder of this term until 2027, when we will have another election.
"As the national chairperson, I won't lean on any side. Party members in Kasipul have the freedom to decide who they want. Whoever is nominated, we shall support," Wanga said.
She appealed to Kasipul residents to prioritise peace, stating that no one deserves to lose their lives because of politics.
"Tushindane kwa maneno, si kwa visu na panga na bunduki (Let's compete on ideology, not knives, machete and guns)."
Were's life was prematurely snuffed out by a lone assassin at around 7.30pm on April 30 opposite Daystar University as his driver waited for the greenlight at the City Mortuary roundabout.
Preliminary investigations indicated that he had been trailed by the shooter on a motorbike from Nairobi CBD soon after the day's parliamentary engagements.
His colleagues said he appeared disturbed and had confided in some that someone wanted him dead.
Driven by this fear, Were swapped his official vehicle with a Toyota Crown to throw off his assailants, but it appeared they had been monitoring every one of his moves.
As soon as the vehicle came to a stop at the roundabout, witnesses said the shooter dismounted the motorbike, walked to Were's vehicle on the passenger side, and opened fire.
The man fled on the waiting bike back to the CBD, leaving Were seriously injured and bleeding profusely.
His driver and bodyguard rushed him to the nearby Nairobi hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
At least six suspects have been arrested, including the driver and bodyguard, who remain witnesses at this point.
However, a boda boda rider who was the latest to be arrested confessed to police that he was paid Sh50,000 to carry the assassin and trail Were's car.
The motive of the killing is yet to be established, although Were's family has cited politics as the probable motivation.
This line of thinking was lend credence when on the night of Sunday, May 11, 2025, there was an attempt on the life of Homa Bay Deputy Governor Joseph Oyugi Magwanga.
Magwanga was returning home in Kabuor village when he received intelligence that he was being trailed.
Acting on this information, he changed his route and vehicle. Subsequently, his official vehicle, which was being used as a decoy, was ambushed by armed assailants who opened fire, believing he was inside.
The attackers beat a hasty retreat after they were engaged in a gunfight by Magwanga's security detail.
