- The ODM leader said women should be given opportunity to showcase their strength.
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Some of the leaders asked Nyanza residents to focus on unity and rally behind Raila in his presidential bid.
Image: ROBERT OMOLLO
ODM leader Raila Odinga has asked Luo Nyanza residents to embrace women's leadership and avoid any forms of discrimination.
The Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential aspirant said the society cannot achieve real development and adequate transformation if one gender is being discriminated against.
“Our people should understand that women also play a very integral part in the society,” the ODM leader said.
Speaking on Monday at the burial of the Kenyan ambassador to Qatar Paddy Ahenda in Kabondo Kasipul constituency, Raila asked residents, especially men, to refrain from chauvinistic behaviour.
The ODM leader has been on the receiving end on how the party settled on Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga for the county governorship race.
Dissatisfied ODM members in Homa Bay have criticised the party consensus method used to pick gubernatorial aspirant for the August 9 general election.
Some governor aspirants agreed to support Wanga in a meeting chaired by Raila and attended by Governor Cyprian Awiti.
The aspirants are Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata, Suba South MP John Mbadi, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, Kuppet secretary general Akelo Misori and former county secretary Isaiah Ogwe.
The meeting, however, was not attended by former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero and businessman Louis Ogingo.
On Monday, Raila told politicians opposed to Wanga to stop criticising her on the basis of the region she hails from.
Wanga comes from Kano in Kisumu county and is married in Kochia in Homa Bay county. She has in the past complained that her political opponents were asking her to vie for the Kisumu governor seat instead.
But Raila came to her defence, saying such criticisms are non-consequential. He said women should be given opportunity to showcase their strength.
He also asked residents not to allow politicians with personal interests to divide them along clans.
Luo Nyanza comprises Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya and Migori.
“Don’t be cheated that there are Luos of South Nyanza and those of Central Nyanza. Luos have a common origin and that’s explained very well in our history books,” he said.
Those present during burial included Raphael Tuju, Governors James Ongwae (Kisii), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Awiti (Homa Bay) and EALA MP Oburu Oginga.
Others were Senator Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay), Wanga and a dozen MPs, including Millie Odhiambo, Eve Obara, Lillian Gogo and Babu Owino.
Tuju asked Nyanza residents to focus on unity and rally behind Raila in his presidential bid.
“Let party nominations anger not divide our attention. We should focus on the bigger picture,” Tuju said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)