Kisumu, 24/11/2007
 
THE FLAWED ODM NOMINATIONS COULD COST RAILA ODINGA ELECTION VICTORY

By Leo Odera Omolo
 
The just concluded and much flawed nominations exercise and chaos that accompanied the process has exposed the seriousness of lack of organizational ability on the parts of the major political parties in Kenya.
 
Insecurity, lack of the provision of the maximum security protection of election materials shortage of manpower at the polling stations and poor handling of the logistics were evidenced everywhere as the exercise came to an end on 17-11-2007.
 
The nominations exercise also exposed all major political parties in the country as only existing in theories and through the newspaper columns, but with no visible structures on the ground.
 
It became apparent that only KANU, the party of Independence, which had previously ruled Kenya for 46 years is the only political movement whose structures remained intact despite having succumbed to election defeat in the year 2002.
 
The rest of the many makeshift parties could be described as just phantoms .These parties have mushroomed and were now numbering over 130, but only existing in the brief cares of their owners. They lacked policy manifestos ,locational abodes, no offices and some of the parties   even belonged to the street vendors and job seekers. Others were simple bunch of political conmen out to fleece parliamentary hopefuls and aspirants in civic bodies.
 
The fiasco and chaos were the two words that entered into the newsrooms of major dailies from the batteries of reporters and television cameramen crews dispatched to the field .It was not the question of the losers and the winners.
 
It was the saddest tale of the three of the five major political parties competitions for the 210 seats in the 10th parliament in Kenya.They included the Party of National Unity (PNU) which was launched by the incumbent President Mwai Kibaki the other week and still yet to establish any structures on the ground,KANU which is an affiliate of the same PNU .The ODM ,ODM-Kenya, Ford Kenya ,Ford People  and KADDU.
 
The ODM whose presidential candidate is the charismatic Raila Amolo Odinga is arguably the most popular political movement in the country today .But it has since deprived of its ammunitions with which it could have used to beat its arch-rivals the PNU and ODM-Kenya .This is due to the fact that the majority of those youthful parliamentarians aspirants who had trooped up for its tickets have become disillusioned and resigned their fate after witnessing its flawed nomination exercise.
 
ODM leaders should have moved swiftly with speed and put up an effective damage control efforts immediately soon after the end of nomination exercise on November 17. There was a vacuum space, but this it created the crisis of confidence among the party supporters.
 
This  is what caused the upsurge in the popularity of president Mwai Kibaki who  at  the time was trailing Raila Odinga at 41 per cent against the latter’s in 45 percent and   pushed Kalonzo, Musyoka from 14 to 18 per cent. How Raila would quickly correct the error and regain the lost glory is a matter of public conjectures.
 
The flawed and poorly organized nomination exercises in ODM has bridged the wide gap which hitherto existed between the two leading presidential contenders Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki.
 
The two are now walking on tight rope on neck to neck electioneering compaign which could end up in favor of either the two which could force for re-run presidential elections
 
What has emerged is the fact that the retired president  Daniel Arap Moi whose declaration for support for President  Kibaki re-election was ignored and rubbished by the ODM had successfully planted his moles and agents  within the ODM rank and files.
 
These agents played serious games with the genuine ODM members contesting for the seat.
 
In Konoin constituency in Bureti District Dr. Kones who had just declared his interest in the seat and who was widely suspected to be a Moi’s mole grabbed the victory and walked away with the ODM ticket.The aspirant who is hitherto was a senior lecturer at the Egerton University in Njoro had prior to the nomination rumoured to be a man of minimal   resources and modest lifestyle surprisingly poured a lot of money on the ground on the nomination day.
 
Dr.Kones nomination victory in Konoin is only one among dozens of other aspirants in Kericho district. Another good example of Moi infiltration and penetration in the ODM nerve system was Mr David Too a former principal of Boito Secondary School who emerged the winner in Ainamoi against all the well established political personalities who included the former Minister for Water and Development Eng.Kipng’eno Arap Ngeny the immediate former MP Noah N Arap Too and the former Deputy CGS Lt.Gen (rtd) John Koech.
 
The saddest part of these election results is that all those aspirants who have been running up and down criss crossing the entire Kipsigis  country side drumming up for the community ,support for the ODM have had their hope of winning election shattered .The majority of the losers have defected and decamped to other parties in search of green pastures.
 
Had the ODM’s election board put everything in order for the smooth nomination exercise and ensured that it was carried out fairly and just, most of the losers would have remained loyal and continue supporting the party to be final end.
 
In the Gusii region where the ODM had made a significant gain over its rival the political scenario had changed drastically and Semeon Nyachae’s led Ford People is now well placed and posed a serious threat of dislodging the ODM.
 
In Nyaribari Chache constituency the home of Nyachae the ODM candidate Chris Bichage could turn to be a no match for the abrasive Minister for Roads and Works whose clout and influence is still enormous.He is calling the shots in most parts of the Gusii region.
 
Omingo Magara the immediate former MP for South Mugirango would be fighting for his political life with pundits predicting that Magara stand no chance of beating the likes of Manson Oyongo (Ford People) Ezekiel O Onchari (Nark Kenya) and Naftali Igendia and his own sister Ms Moita Magara.
 
Magara is the national treasurer of ODM .He was given a direct nomination by the party elections board, an action which has sparked off serious protest from other contestants for the same ticket .One of them has since moved to court challenging Magara’s direct nomination.
 
ODM can only bank its hope on the former Finance Minister Chris Mogere Obure who is contesting his former Bobasi constituency .But Obure’s opponents who include immediate former MP for the area Stephen Kengere Manoti (Ford People) ,Raphael Machuki Raini (Ford-Kenya), Justin P.L Nyaberi (KANU) ,Naftali Okongo Mogere (Narc-Kenya) and Prof Benson  Mochoge of DP is expected to be a tough battle .Most of those challenging Obure are for Kibaki re-election.
 
The confusion which cropped in as the result of the flawed nomination has grossly interfered with the ODM plans to clinch more than 60 percent of the 10 parliamentary seats in Gusii region.
 
In Mugirango West the seat formerly held by the immediate former MP Henry Oyancha Obwocha ,the Minister for Planning is expected to go PNU way. The ODM candidate is Dennis Abincha who is also facing the former nominated MP Catherine Nyameto(Narc-K).
 
Another hotspot is Nyaribari Masaba where former Cabinet Minister Prof  Sam Ongeri of KANU is facing his arch-rival  Dr.Hezron Mantuku of (Ford People) and Ezekiel Mochogu of ODM .Also in the race is Prof Ratemo Michieka of (NPPK). There are nine others who included Prof Manyaka Ongeri and Geroge Nyamweya of DP. The going could turn to be very tough for ODM.
 
The ODM can only be rest assured of retaining all the 21 seats in Luo Nyanza,  though some of the defeated former MPs have since gained soft landing space in the Charity Ngilu led Narc. But their  chances of beating ODM candidates are said to be the remotest.
 
The only crowded constituencies are Uriri in Rongo and Kasipul- Kabondo in Karachuonyo districts where much bickering are expected in most constituencies,but in other places it would be simple walk over by the ODM candidates.
 
An election battle between the popular and long serving immediate former MP for Ndhiwa constituency Orwa Ojode and Mrs Monica Amolo is also being predicted to be a simple walkover in favour of Ojode. Perhaps the real battle would be in Rongo between Dalmas Otieno and Ochillo Ayacko of Narc and in Alego –Usonga  where the ODM winner Edwin Ochieng Yinda is facing Prof Jackline A.Oduor (Narc)  B.O Onyango Odhiambo (PNU) and C Kobimo (KADDU).
 
In Ugenya the youthful aspirants who trounced the rest at the ODM nominations was Stephen O Mwanga .but his victory was rejected for undisclosed reason and the party later cleared James Aggrey Orengo .But the popular Mwanga immediately jumped the ship and took a KADDU ticket. He is expected to give Orengo a run for his money.
 
Dr.Otieno Mbare is another candidate who is worth winning in Kasipul -Kabondo .He is standing on KADDU ticket against Joseph Oyugi Magwanga (ODM) and Prof Richard Otieno Muga (Narc)
 
The ODM supporters in Luo-Nyanza have, however, spoken their minds when they sent home 14 former MPs and replaced them with newcomers.
 
Those dismissed were Eng Philip Okuni (Rangwe) Eng Erick Nyamunga (Nyando) Ocholla Ogur (Nyatike) Zaddock Syongo (Gwassi) Dr Paul Adhu Awiti (Karachuonyo),Paddy Ahenda (Kasipul-Kabondo) Archbishop Stephen  Ondiek (Ugenya) Gor Sungu (Kisumu Town East,Rev.Ken Nyagudi (Kisumu Town West),Peter Odoyo (Nyakach) Ochillo Ayacko (Rongo) Odhiambo Omamba (Uriri) and Charles Oyugi Owino Jalikowa (Migori). Both Muhoroni MP Prof Ayiecho Olweny and Jakoyo Midiwo of Gem escaped the hauler narrowly.
 
Peter Odoyo of Nyakach unsuccessfully tried all hooliganism ways to get nominated. He bought ODM nomination certificates for him and all his loosing councilors to disrupt Nyakach elections. Even after the ODM party had published names of revoked MPs, his name included he still went to the ECK station to be cleared but was chased away by angry electorate who had rejected him. He virtually sprinted out of D.Os office at Pap-Onditi narrowly escaped notable lynching by the enraged voters.
 
In Nyatike about 7 councilors have been cleared by ECK on a PNU ticket while ODM have not resolved their mess with double issuance of certificates. This means there will only be PNU councilors.
 
Unconfirmed allegations of bribery and corruption in the issuance of party clearance certificates and undeserved direct nominations of certain influential politicians are some o f the reasons which have inflicted heavy damage to do ODM image and reputations
 
Good  monies is said to have exchanged hands in the seriously affected nominations of civic candidates in Nyanza ,Rift Valley and other regions .The same could be seen in PNU,Ford Kenya,KANU,Ford People and other parties.
 
But the most worrying issue is the excessive violence used against female candidates who contested in both civic and parliamentary seats
 
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com .