TENSION IN NYANZA AS KANU DELEGATES DIFFER A HEAD OF N.D.C

BY JEFF OTIENO
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
KISUMU – KENYA
Email Add: jeffotieno aT yahOo dOT com
Cell Phone : 0720616018

Anxiety, accusations, counter accusations and tension has gripped Luo Nyanza as Kanu delegates prepare to attend the crucial National Delegates Conference slated for 11th June 2007 at Kasarani.

The meeting, which has been convened by Kanu National Chairman, who also doubles as the leader of official opposition party Uhuru Kenyatta, is meant to review and endorse the partys position in the Orange Democratic Movement Party of Kenya (ODM).

Uhuru, who has todate not submitted his presidential nomination documents to the O.D.M Secretariat, due to some technical and legal reasons, will try to seek for the approval of N.D.C Members to give him political direction in the prevailing turbulent Stalemate.

Pertubed by the foregoing in the former ruling party, coupled with quest for supremacy and egocentric interests, a prominent Kanu official in Nyanza Province Shem Kwega, who is also the party chairman for Kisumu Town West, early this week summoned Kanu officials from the entire Province, three from each branch (Chairman Secretary and Treasurer) for a marathon well attended meeting in Kisumu where his bid to convince and turn the forum in favour of his political ally and O.D.M Presidential hopeful William Ruto back fired.

According to a Vocal Nyakach Consitituency Kanu official, who attended the meeting and spoke to the press on condition of anonymity, Kwega wanted the endorsement of the Nyanza delegates that Kanu as a party should remain in O.D.M yet Monday 11th June 2007 agenda at Kasarani hasn’t been crystal clear.

It’s imperative to note that Kanu members are divided in the middle whether to remain in the umbrella O.D.M or otherwise.

During the stormy well attended meeting, Kwega was taken to task for invoking the name of former influential and powerful cabinet Minister Dalmas Otieno as the one who was supposed to chair the Kisumu meeting. The oil dealer further misled the delegates that Dalmas and Uhuru Kenyatta wanted a common stand from the region before the N.D.C of which they rubbished a side as pre-emptive and opportunistic, meant to favour some political quarter.

Humiliation of the day didn’t stop there. His self imposed role that the O.D.M top hierarchy had mandated him to carry the recent exercises of harmonization or integration which he described as successful, met the full wrath of the enraged officials.

Traitor, traitor, traitor rained the air as the besieged politician appeared crest fallen. Johanes Akello Omboto, Chairman Kasipul Kabondo was literally heckled when the delegates took him to task to explain why he has been playing double standard politics.

For starters Omboto plays errand boy role for both Biwott and Kenyatta, a move which has really curtailed his political stature.

Factional feuds and irregularities recently marred the said exercise almost in the entire region. Most affected were Mbita, Nyakach, Muhoroni Kisumu town West, Karachuonyo, Ndhiwa Constituencies to name but a few to the chagrin of adherents.

Warring delegates ultimately endorsed that it’s only Uhuru Kenyatta himself or Dalmas Otieno and not any other imposter or proxy should give them political direction.

Kwega, who has been accused of playing selfish and lone ranger politics, has been isolated by the entire officials among them the Vice Chairman Jack Nyambega, Secretary General Milton Kwatch and organizing secretary Ken Onyango.

Many Keen Political Pundits opine that Kwega’s latest political approach will be a disadvantage to his Kisumu Town West Parliamentary bid where he’s to face giants like leading and influential Surgeon Dr. Otieno Obondi, business magnet cum lawyer Olago Aluoch, Nairobi consultant cum lawyer Juliet Ogejo and incumbent MP Ken Nyagudi, in what appears to be a battle to remember.

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