By ERIC ABUGA
The nomination of Joel Onyancha to contest the Bonchari mini poll on a Wiper Party ticket is causing jitters among Kisii County top ODM leaders.
Onyancha contested on the Orange party ticket in the last General Election. The party however denied him nomination for the forthcoming by-election and instead gave it to John Oyioka who had contested on the Kenya African National Union (Kanu) ticket.
On Tuesday, the Wiper party issued a nomination certificate and cleared Onyancha to contest in the by-election.
With Onyancha’s clearance, the two Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) coalition parties are headed for a battle during the campaigns. Oyioka and Onyancha were second and third respectively in last year’s elections.
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Lawyer Philemon Onchwangi argues that according to the CORD agreement, no partner should field a candidate where another partner is popular.
“From the look of things, ODM is more popular than Wiper in the larger Kisii going by the number of seats ODM won in the General Election. At the end, pacts are meant to be honoured and not to discarded,” said Onchwangi.
Oyioka said he has been an ODM life member and the issuance of the nomination certificate was not a favour.
“I am ready to face the electorate through ODM. Parties are just political vehicles but the ultimate determinant in any election is the voters,” said Oyioka.
Speaking to The Standard on phone, Onyancha said he was dismayed that ODM had opted to hand the party ticket to a different person yet he had fought and remained devoted to it for several years.
“The people of Bonchari should be told the truth that some parties have failed to comply with basic democratic principles. I have traversed the entire constituency and the people have given me the go-ahead to vie,” said Onyancha.
The fight for the ODM ticket has cost the party two by-elections in Gusii. Top ODM leaders in the region have had to support different candidates due to failure to agree on one candidate.
Our sources indicate that a replica of what happened in Bomachoge Borabu by-election is likely to emerge in Bonchari.
