It’s payback time for ODM rebels ahead of polls

Migori Senator Wilfred Machage. He was recently reported as having disowned ODM, the party on whose ticket he was elected in 2013. His election to the Senate was a result of negotiated democracy between communities residing in the cosmopolitan county. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

Migori Senator Wilfred Machage is walking a tightrope as he campaigns to retain the support of his region; a region where one’s political fortunes are determined by loyalty to the Orange Democratic Movement and its top leadership.

Dr Machage was recently reported as having disowned ODM, the party on whose ticket he was elected in 2013. His election to the Senate was a result of negotiated democracy between communities residing in the cosmopolitan county. The Luo, Kuria, Luhya and Somali are the most populous in the county.

But the medic-turned-politician, arguably one of the most prominent public figures among the Abakuria, is fighting for his political life after he publicly threatened to lead the Kuria community out of the Orange party. His anti-ODM crusade encountered stiff resistance from fellow leaders in his backyard.

In the 2013 election deal, ODM was to back Kuria leaders for the Senate and Women Representative positions. In return, the Kuria community would vote as a bloc for CORD presidential candidate Raila Odinga. After the votes were counted, Machage sailed through but his community split their votes between Raila and Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta.

Before the negotiated democracy, the Kuria, according to elder Marwa Chacha, wanted John Magaiwa to be senator. However, Magaiwa told The Standard on Sunday that he was short-changed by ODM and the ticket given to Colleta Suda.

However, Ms Suda, a Luo, was prevailed upon to surrender the ticket to Machage. She later got a government appointment as Principal Secretary for Higher Education.

Mr Chacha says this did not go down well with most locals.

“Had ODM given the certificate to Magaiwa, we would have voted for Raila overwhelmingly as we did for Governor Okoth Obado when he picked a Kuria as running mate. That strategy enabled him to win on a PDP ticket, a little known party in the region,” he said.

Machage first came under fire last month when Obado accused him of inciting residents of Kehancha, his home town, against paying taxes to the county government. But Machage, who termed the allegations as “crying wolf”, said if the governor was facing tax challenges in Kehancha, he should have told him.

“Obado should know I am not juniour in politics. If he has failed to manage the county well, he should not use me as an excuse,” he said.

Youth leaders and activists have also accused the senator of not fighting corruption in the county.

When he gave Suna East Junet Mohammed’s homecoming a wide berth three weeks ago, he told The Standard on Sunday on the phone that he had anticipated a backlash due to the failed negotiated democracy and his recent threats to walk out of ODM.

“I promised myself never to attend any meetings in Migori. Why should I when I know I will be booed? Kuria leaders in ODM find it difficult because the majority are treating us with disdain,” Machage said.

He said in the 2013 polls, Raila got 23,000 votes from Kuria. He says leaders from the populous community should stop antagonising him because “they are spoiling votes for Raila and should thank me for once for delivering 23,000 votes”.

The senator urged the majority community in the county to play their key role as a “big brother” and ensure other communities feel accepted in ODM. There are 100,000 votes in Kuria.

Personal views

However, Kuria politicians led by Deputy Governor Nelson Mwita, distanced themselves from Machage’s sentiments, saying what the senator said did not represent the views of leaders from his community.

“He is a beneficiary of the same party he plans to lead Kurias against,” Mwita said.

The leaders, who included nine MCAs from Kuria, said they would not support Machage’s move.

“We want to tell him that his leadership has expired and he knows we do not engage the reverse gear,” Mwita said. Masaba MCA Abedi Maroa said, “Machage has every right to be in ODM just as he is free to leave the party. Whatever he does, he must do so as an individual.”

Out of the 13 elected MCAs from Kuria’s two sub-counties, nine were elected on tickets of CORD-affiliated parties.

Machage’s political problems may be good news to former Mathare MP Ochieng Mbeo and former Migori County Assembly Speaker Gordon Ogola who are eyeing the senate seat.

A number of top guns are also angling to face it out with Governor Obado. They include former minister Ochilo Ayacko and Prof Akong’o Oyugi. The only woman contesting the governor’s seat is Ann Anyanga, wife of Nyatike MP Omondi Anyanga.

But as the candidates prepare for ODM nominations, Mrs Anyanga says the playing ground is not level. She claims violence is being meted out on her supporters.

“The party should expand the space for women candidates the way it happens in Europe and the US. Women, who are indeed the majority voters, deserve leadership positions. The national government should ensure security of women candidates,” she said.

She, however, vowed to stay in the race until the end.

“I am promising real change. The current county administration is a failure. What has Governor Obado achieved in the last four years? Obado and Ayacko decamped to other parties in 2013 and as far as I am concerned, they are outsiders. This means I am the front-runner for the ODM ticket,” Mrs Anyanga said.

She challenged the county government to come clean on graft allegations dogging some of its leaders.

“The public is crying foul. Some churches have lost their land in unclear circumstances and resources are being misused. Even land set aside for mining has been grabbed,” she claimed.