ALEGO -USONGA

By Joseph Ochieng

A Mombasa based cool, sharp minded and development focused tycoon who runs a multi-billion business firm with both local and International links, is promising those planning to contest for the Alego Usonga parliamentary seat currently being held by Hon. Sam Weya, a run for their money as never been realized in the Constituency before since Independence.

Revealing this to me the chief campaigners Eng. Siaya Opaka and Mr. George Abaja flanked by Alego Usonga Constituents residing in Mombasa said that due to under development in the Constituency for the last ten years, they had resolved to launch a massive campaign to install Mr. Edwin Ochieng Yinda as the area MP come the elections 2007.

Mr. Yinda a well known public figure in the country is not a new comer to the area politics and has learnt a lot from his last experience where he contested in 1999 and 2002 where he emerged number two out of the five contestants in 2002 on a KANU ticket which gave way to the incumbent Hon. Weya to take over from the former area MP Oloo Aringo ending his two term reign as area MP.

The chief campaigner Eng. Opaka, a technical Manager with an International shipping line and with a colorful academic background said that due to the advancement in campaigning Mr. Yinda is in advanced stages of beginning civil education to prepare the electorate in the area for the coming elections in which they are expected to vote in a candidate they think is most likely to bring development in the Constituency that has lacked behind since Independence.

He added that voting in the constituency in the past was done in favor of who comes from where and from which clan, which led to sending to parliament the wrong representatives as is being realized today which has been realized by the Usonga electorate though a little too late, but the writings are clearly on the wall and they are calling for change of leadership that could one day see the constituents share the resources equitably.

Another campaigner Mr. George Abaja, said they are already set to begin an aggressive campaign that will sell Mr. Yinda to both the youthful voters and the elderly, make them understand what they have been missing all these years in other words a focused leader who is people minded and development driven.

“The development projects that Mr. Edwin Yinda has already carried out on the ground to date is an indication of how focused and development conscious he is” said Abaja.

They however admitted that they were aware of other aspirants interested in contesting for the parliamentary seat come the this years elections, but were quick to add that they should come prepared for surprises as it wont be a smooth sailing as was experienced in the other elections where open rigging was the order of the day. They termed this as out dated ways of doing things and they should be prepared too, to learn from Mr. Yinda’s team how modern campaigns are carried out.

They promised an all out campaign networking for resources will no longer be a problem as this was the firs thing the tycoon took into consideration before hand-picking his team of advisors, schemers, campaigners and logisticians who will carry out the coming tough and tricky job of installing their man Yinda as the Member of parliament and whom they have faith will make it to the august house come 2008.

The other contestants already who have openly declared their interest in the Alego Usonga seat includes, a Mr. Ochieng Odunga a Kisumu based businessman, Mr. Paul Amuga a Nairobi based Lawyer, Oloo Aringo who is a former area MP who has held the seat for two consecutive terms and the incumbent Member of Parliament Hon. Sam Weya.

Ends………………

Joseph Ochieng'
Reporter-Kenya Times
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Mobile-0721-632525
E-mail joseph.ochieng@yahoo.com
Website.www.timesnews.co.ke
  Mombasa-Kenya