KISUMU

DIASPORA CANDIDATE OMONDI AKOTH IN RONGO CAUSES PANICKING AMONG ASPIRANTS

By Leo Odera Omolo
If we go by the Bible, that when the harvesting time come, he who sowed the good seeds will reap what he had sowed, if the contribution by one towards development can count at the time of the elections, then one youthful candidate for the Rongo Seat stands to gain a lot from his seeds.

Omondi Akoth, a Kenyan based in Houston City, USA is currently leading the pack of aspirants for the Rongo parliamentary seat, with clean track record of active participation in development activities back to his native home, Kenya.

Omondo Akoth who hails from Ng'ong'a village in South Sakwa location in the newly created Rongo District, (formerly Migori), has made immense contribution towards sporting activities and other economic projects.

Last year, Mr. Omondi Akoth led his American friends in conducting Harambee in aid of several schools in Rongo Constituency. The service of fund raising raised thousands of shillings.

The schools, which benefited were Kodero Obara Secondary School, Kosodo Primary School, Kamondi Primary School and God Bondo Primary school.

Being the patron, he has single handedly been maintaining Omware Children's Home, donating books and food. He is also the patron of PONA VCT Rongo of which he has been supporting all along, by donating sporting materials such as balls and uniforms to the local school teams like Mariwa Football Club, Ng'ong'a Football Club, Apondo Youth Village Polytechnic/Kitere Youth. He has also chipped in support for the SONY F.C. and many more within both Awendo and Rongo Division.

Mr. Omondi Okoth is also being credited for conducting numerous Harambee fund drives for raising cash for the churches like Kanyimach, Ongera in South Sakwa, Ndonyo in Kamagambo South, Ngope and Kwar Holy Ghost (Wikamagambo and Nyabera in Sakwa South, Waundha village).

The aspirants donated four oxen bulls and plough to the Kitunja Youths. He has also helped the Kitere youths to acquire and install posho mills also in Kamagambo Central.

Mr. Omondi Akoth is also being credited for having donated shoe repair machines to the Mariwa Disabled School in Sakwa South and having made hefty donations of furniture and computers to the Kenya Youth Agenda in Rongo Town.

Another remarkable donation by the US-based businessman involved equipment to the local hospitals like Awendo sub-district hospital located in Awendo Town, Ulanda and Mariwa Dispensaries all located in Sakwa South and Rongo Health Centre.

Mr. Omondi Akoth has been actively involved in supporting the numerous women groups in Kanyajuok village, Kamagambo South. Above all these, the aspirant, despite having logistic problems of reaching home in time from the US has always made it a point of being present at the funerals of the dead or chipping something to offsetting the medical bills incurred by the sickling Rongo constituents. He has always made sure that one of his men is on the forefront with hefty donations either in cash or material.

The candidature of Mr. Omondi Akoth has sent shock waves and shivers down the spines of many prospective parliamentary hopefuls in Rongo, whose numbers have since swollen to 15 or more.

His presence will offer a bruising battle for the incumbent MP George Mbogoh Ochillo Ayako, who is said to be having rough time with Rongo electorate as a result of numerous accusations and allegations about his poor style of leadership, and the excessive use of hired political goons to intimidate his opponents.

Ayako was recently given a serious dressing in the presence of his mentor, Raila Odinga, during the latter's controversial tour of Southern Nyanza and Kuria region.

Raila was told to his face not to market Ayako to the electorate as the legislator has already become stale and unmarketable commodity. The shouting and heckling that greeted Raila in both Awendo and Rongo Town prompted Ayako's gang of political goons to engage in pelting the crowd with stones. This was followed by heavy fighting, prompting "Agwambo" and his entourage to flee the two towns in huff.

The huge crowd minced no word and told Raila to his face that they would support his presidential bid, but when it came to the question of electing an MP, he should leave them free to make their own choice.

ENDS
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

The writer is LUOCOME REPORTER based in Kisumu. We urge all LUOCOME members with pressing issues pertaining to media and press releases to kindly contact him from any where in world. He will assist you to get true picture of your Village Developement.
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