06/06/2007
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Ondiek, Orengo snub Funerals to avoid facing aspirant
BY SHEM KOSSE.
KISUMU BASED FREELANCEJOURNALIST.
Both t he incumbent and former Ugenya Mps cannot attend public functions graced by area’s popular aspirant Stephen Mwanga in the constituency, reliable sources can now authoritatively reveal.
The entry of Mwanga has raised political temperatures in Ugenya forcing the incumbent Arch bishop Ondiek and his predecessor lawyer James Orengo to skip funerals, which are used as political platforms in,Luo Nyanza.
The rising popularity of the youthful Mwanga came to the fore during the burial of the late chairman of Re-Union Club Mark Ageng’ where dignitaries showered the Young Turk with praises..
Marie Stopes country director Cyprian Awiti who was among the few who struggled to fly the body of the administrator of football home, set the ball rolling
; "Mwanga is the only outstanding person from Ugenya who contributed hugely towards the funeral arrangements of the late Ageng’," Awiti said.
Mwanga, 30 who is also the Chairman of the Kenya Swiss Development Association is involved in several development projects in the vast constituency. "Ugenya can progress if we have other personalities like Mwanga ..I’m not campaigning for him but speaking what you all know is true, Awiti said.
Kasarani MP William Omondi and Kenya Football Federation (KFF) caretaker committee chairman Peter Ochiel were among the mourners at the funeral. Omondi spilled the beans when he said that Alego/Usonga MP Sammy Weya was a native of Alego Usonga.
"We are three Mps from Ugenya in parliament-
Kenya Swiss Development Association President Ondiek,Weya and me" Omondi Henry Otieno(left) and chairman Stephen said unaware of what his Mwanga at a Harrambee at Sega Girls High utterance could cost Weya.
school where they both raised Sh 500,000
Omondi who will be in trouble defending his seat in Kasarani in the poll has resorted to help Ondiek disburse CDF to avoid being heckled.
Others present were Kenya Football Coaches Association (Kefoca) boss Bob Oyugi and Ugenya aspirant William Ohonde.
Ondiek who was not at the funeral attended by the who is who in the constituency sent a close aide who announced that he had flown to Mozambique. It later emerged that the MP who is also the Archbishop of the Legio Maria sect was in the country but preferred to skip the burial. Those who spoke at the function heaped praises on the youthful Mwanga and called for a change in guard.
The funeral was temporarily interrupted after it turned into a political rally drumming support for the Orange Democratic Movement Kenya (ODM Kenya). Ugenya has two divisions – Ugunja and Ukwala. Ugunja has five locations as opposed to Ukwala which has six.
The Uholo block usually decides Ugenya’s political temperatures as they normally speak one language evident as virtually all aspirants are from Ukwala. University of Nairobi (UoN)political science professor Peter Wanyande who is also eyeing the Ugenya seat failed to turn up at the funeral.
Ondiek who is struggling to ward off ghosts of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in his area also skipped a recent fundraising in aid of Sega Girls High School .
Ondiek preferred to send Concilia, his young wife, to represent him at the harambee where she donated Sh.10,000 while Mwanga gave out Sh.250,000.
It is at the same harambee that Kenya Swiss Development Association (KSDA) President Henry Otieno who accompanied Mwanga donated Sh.250,000.
The MP has never been in opposition and once a powerful minister in the Moi regime after taking the ministerial flag from Oloo Aringo from neighboring Alego Usonga.
Ondiek won elections in 1983 when Moi dissolved Parliament after the Njonjo Commission of Inquiry following 1982 coup attempt, calling for snap polls.
Ondiek has been accused of misusing bursary funds by sponsoring students in his private schools, which are not among the academic giants.
The MP argues that no section of the CDF Act insists that students from private schools should not benefit from bursaries.
Residents of the constituency who are Christians and Muslims have accused Ondiek of housing the CDF office in his Savannah Bar and Restaurant in the constituency.
Parents say accessing the CDF office is a nightmare to their children who want to apply for bursaries.
Mwanga who is also a banker has financed education of several orphans in the area as Ondiek remains watching helplessly.
"We are disturbed when top pupils in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations do not report to national schools they are called to over lack of fees," says Mwanga.
Poverty levels of Siaya and at over 58 percent and among the highest reported cases of HIV/Aids in Nyanza, which leads with a prevalence of 14 percent. Mwanga has been a nightmare to Ondiek since he arrived at a function, at which Ondiek was a guest of honor aboard a chopper at Kogere Primary School .
Polish and Canadian diplomats had converged at the institution to commission the newly-build school before Mwanga arrived accompanied by Budalangi aspirant Ababu Namwamba.
Clan and ethnic alignments have in the past polls reigned supreme in Ugenya politics – just like other areas in Luo Nyanza.
Ondiek hails from the small Kanyalaro clan while most of his contestants hail from the largest Kapuny clan, which is followed by Kager.
Other aspirants for Ugenya are Eng. Washington Olweny, Mr Maurice Okumu. Eng Charles Onyango, Mr. George Ndonji, Ken Ayieko, Chistopher Wandayi and Peter Rang’inya.
Odero Saar was the first post independence Ugenya MP before cabinet minister Mathews Ogutu took over and later Ondiek and Orengo respectively.
All MPs in Ugenya, which has 8,000 votes, hailed from Kapuny clan apart from Ondiek who comes from a smaller clan.
Ondiek was disqualified from his seat following an election petition and barred from contesting in the by-elections before he fronted for his brother-in-law Orengo in 1979.
Orengo who is yet to attend public functions where aspirants chest thump has of late been making headlines in local dailies representing clients in high- profile civil suits in court.
Many believe the advocate of the High Court is a 100-metre runner who would reduce the race for Ugenya to a two-horse race.
Residents of Uholo East sub-location even put Siaya District Commissioner (DC) Mr Litole on the spot over rampant insecurity when he commissioned a police post constructed by KSDA recently.
The residents told the DC that cattle-rustling had increased after their local MP refused to fight insecurity.
"Rampant insecurity is a thorn in the flesh following the reluctance of the provincial administration," said Odero Rambula, a local. Mwanga says the delay in distribution of the fund to the local leaders and residents claimed cattle rustlers stole their cattle and drove them for sale in the neighboring Butere/Mumias District.
Liotole assured that more police officer would be posted to the new police post in a bid to contain insecurity.
"The Government is doing a lot to ensure security prevails… police officers will be posted to the newly opened post," Liotole says.
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