ODM fights to lock out Jubilee in Kisii

ODM national chairman John Mbadi (right) and the party's Nyacheki by-election candidate Naftal Onkoba during campaigns on 6.10.2016 at Nyacheki market.  (Photo: Eric Abuga/Standard)

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has mobilised its top officials in a battle to retain political supremacy in Kisii.

The party is pulling out all the stops to win the Nyacheki ward by-election slated for October 26, 2016. The by-election was occasioned by the death of Peter Ongeri, who was the ward representative, on July 27.

ODM, which won the seat in the 2013 elections, will be trying to retain it amid a growing Jubilee Party wave in the county.

The Orange party is leaving nothing to chance and is said to be conducting door-to-door campaigns before switching to public rallies.

Top officials have already been dispatched to drum up support for Naftal Onkoba. Last week, the party sent chairman John Mbadi (Suba MP) and nominated Senator Janet Ongera to join the candidate on the campaign trail.

According to Mr Mbadi, the Nyacheki by-election results will be a reflection of the 2017 general election.

“We will begin our journey to State House on October 26 from Nyacheki ward. This is not just a vote for our candidate but a plan for the next polls,” he said.

The ODM campaign machine is spearheaded by Ms Ongera. Party leader Raila Odinga is expected to address a series of political rallies in the ward.

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero are expected to join the campaigns on October 21.

Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o and Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire will be leading the campaigns on October 23 and October 16.

But even as the ODM brigade plans to camp in the ward for the campaigns, the JP candidate, Maxwell Magoma, complained that his party was not supporting his campaigns enough.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

He said only the area Member of Parliament, Stephen Manoti, had joined him on the campaign trail.

“I was only given campaign materials,” he said.

Proponents of the Gusii Unity Caucus, the majority of who are allied to Jubilee, are yet to hit the campaign trail in support of Mr Magoma.

Some are said to be quietly supporting the Kenya National Congress (KNC) candidate, Caleb Onguti.

Both Onguti and Onkoba battled it out in the ODM nominations.

The ward has 13,948 voters and 22 polling stations.