Oburu Odinga to vie for Bondo parliamentary seat

MPs Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) and Oburu Oginga (nominated) during the burial of Barrack Odinge Odera in Siaya County on Saturday. [PHOTO: ISAIAH GWENGI/STANDARD]

After months of speculation, nominated MP Oburu Oginga has declared that he will contest the Bondo parliamentary seat in 2017.

Last year, his supporters warned his critics to write him off at their own peril. They said those claiming that Mr Oburu was too old to run for a political seat should look at his development record.

“Age doesn’t matter so long as one has the necessary experience to lead,” said George Mawere, the Bondo sub-county ODM Organising Secretary.

On Saturday during the burial of Jalang’o Okumu in Nyang’oma village, Oburu said he would make a political comeback after his gubernatorial attempt in 2013.

“A lot of things have been said about my candidature. I would like to set the record straight that I am going to contest the Bondo parliamentary seat and not the gubernatorial seat next year,” he said.

He said he was also committed to campaigning for CORD leader Raila Odinga in his bid for presidency in 2017.

In the last General Election, Oburu and his younger sister Ruth Odinga, who was also vying for the Kisumu gubernatorial seat were accused of being an impediment to Raila’s presidential bid.

But Oburu dismissed the claims saying that every Kenyan had a right to vie for any political seat in this country. He said they all lost the positions they were vying for.

“Why is it wrong for Raila’s son or daughter to vie for any political position in this country?” he asked.

DISMISSED CLAIMS

He said Luo-Nyanza residents should stop intimidating them in their bid to vie for any political position.

The veteran politician warned political aspirants against causing undesired speculation by engaging his family in different fronts.

“We have witnessed several occasions where politicians use Raila and Oburu’s names to seek political mileage. Some politicians have invited us to preside over functions in their constituencies only for us to be seen as supporting their ambitions,” said Oburu.