Okoth Obado likely to be cleared by ODM probe team

Migori county governor Okoth Obado in a picture taken on April 03,2017. He has denied claims that he is defecting from ODM party. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

A team appointed by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to investigate the cancelled primaries in Migori and Homa Bay counties will hand over its findings today, amid insider reports it could uphold Governor Okoth Obado's win in the chaotic primaries.

A source close to the committee said while Obado could be given a clean bill of health, the committee may order a repeat in Homa Bay where Governor Cyprian Awiti was declared the winner after beating his closest rival - Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga.

The party cancelled the results and ordered investigations after both aspirants, Ochillo Ayacko and Obado, were awarded certificates. In Homa Bay, Magwanga protested Awiti's victory, saying the results were doctored.

Thursday, team leader - ODM treasurer and Kitutu Masaba MP, Timothy Bosire could not confirm or deny reports that they had cleared Obado. He however, confirmed they had completed the investigations.

Other members of the team included National Assembly Minority Whip, Thomas Mwadeghu, and National Elections Board Commissioner Dominic Motindi.

"We are in the final stages of preparing the report before we hand it over to the National Elections Board and the Party's Elections Tribunal tomorrow (Friday)," Bosire said.

The team met with the leaders, the affected returning officers and other resource persons in a Kisii Hotel on Wednesday before they left for Nairobi on Thursday afternoon.

Bosire said they could not meet the aggrieved parties in their respective counties due to the sensitive nature of the issue.

In Homabay, Governor Cyprian Awiti was announced the winner with 46,343 votes, a decision that led to sporadic protests in Homa Bay town.

His key opponent Oyugi Magwanga emerged second with 14,661 votes while Samuel Wakiaga got 2,087 votes while Cosmas Kanyadudi got 24 and Enosh Bolo 2,174.

In Migori, chaos erupted after Ochillo was given the certificate by a different returning officer from the one who had declared Obado the winner earlier on.