The ODM leader Raila Odinga is a man between a rock and hard place as his close allies square it up for the ODM gubernatorial nomination in the party’s stronghold counties.
It should be pointed out that in the past, shoddy nominations have haunted the party at the elections as disgruntled voters stayed away from the ballot hence affecting turnout in his backyard.
A clear analysis of gubernatorial aspirants in the counties of Kisumu, Homabay, Kisii, Mombasa, and Busia paints a picture of a looming titanic battle in ODM.
Homabay County
The Homabay gubernatorial race has attracted heavyweights making the contest hard to call especially during the ODM preliminaries.
So far, the ODM national chairman and Suba South MP John Mbadi, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, Wowan Rep Gladys Wanga, Awiti’s deputy Hamilton Orata and the former county secretary Isaiah Ogwe have all declared their interest in the ODM ticket.
Many political pundits have said that the race will be between Mbadi, Kidero, Wanga and Magwanga.
Gladys Wanga, has already officially launched her gubernatorial bid an event that was attended by Azimio affiliated women leaders.
Political observer and resident Patrick Agwagra taking to The Star Newspaper said the ODM party will not get it easy in picking the governorship torchbearer.
“Unless Raila himself calls them to the round table so they can agree and come up with one person. Otherwise, I see none of the front runners bolting out for others,” Agwagra said.
At the same time, hooliganism has already begun in the county which boosts 51,3000 registered voters as Wanga’s billboards were vandalized by unknown people.
“We call upon law enforcement to move with speed and apprehend the culprits. #Genowa is a movement of the people, by the people, and for the people. We shall not be cowed or distracted.,” Wanga said on the vandalism.
Kisumu County
In the lakeside county of Kisumu, the race to dethrone Governor Anyang Nyong’o has taken a new twist after leading contenders agreed to jointly face off the professor in the ODM nomination.
Kisumu Senator Fred Outa, former Kisumu governor Jack Ranguma, ousted Kisumu County speaker Onyango Oloo, and Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community Ken Obura have announced that they will field one of them against the incumbent.
All eyes will be on the ODM nomination in Kisumu after confusion marred the Kisumu ODM nominations after then-Governor Jack Ranguma and his rival Anyang’ Nyong’o were both declared winners in the gubernatorial race at parallel tallying stations.
Kisii County
The battle to replace Governor James Ongwae has recently developed into a push and pull between Raila Odinga’s close allies making the ODM ticket become highly valued.
The entry of Dagoreti North MP Simba Arati has complicated political arithmetic for a number of heavyweights eyeing the Kisi county gubernatorial seat on the ODM ticket.
Former Roads and Infrastructure Chief Administrative Secretary Chris Obure, Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi, Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati, Nyaribari Masaba MP Ezekiel Machogu, Senator Sam Ongeri, Woman Representative Janet Ong’era, former South Mugirango MPs Omingo Magara, and Manson Oyongo are among the frontrunners for the seat.
Most of the aspirants are supporting, Azimio la Umoja, what remains to be seen is if Azimio la Umoja will conduct a joint party nomination.
If there will be joint party nominations, then whoever will carry the Azimio ticket will stand high chance of winning the gubernatorial race.
Busia County
After the highly disputed ODM nomination in 2017, bitting Governor Sospeter Ojamong and former Funyula MP Paul Otuoma, where violence was witnessed, the 2022 ODM preliminary will be closely watched.
In the 2022 contest, the battle is coming down to Busia Woman Representative Florence Mutua and Otuoma.
Recently Mutua called on ODM to award loyal members a direct ticket in what was termed as an indirect attack against Paul Otuoma who defected from the party in 2017 after the shambolic party preliminaries.
Mombasa County
In Mombasa County, the battle for the ODM ticket is tightly between Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and businessman Suleiman Shahbal.
Even though Governor Hassan Joho has officially thrown his weight behind the Mvita MP, Shahbal will still provide strong competition for the ODM ticket.
Mombasa county being a stronghold of ODM, the battle for ODM tickets will be fierce in what requires the party to be careful so that it doesn’t lose disgruntled members to other party formations.
Raila advocates for consensus
The ODM leader Raila Odinga last year said that the party will use consensus to pick candidates for various elective seats so as to prevent chaos and fallouts that have bedeviled the party during nominations.
“We’ll allow all aspirants to first have a consensus among themselves. We will only use other methods if they fail to agree,” Raila said.
“We will repeat the voting process as many times as possible to enable every aspirant to feel satisfied,” Raila said.
