It was a show of sheer might
Winner of Bomachoge constituency by-election Mr Simon Ogari of ODM party (right) acknowledges cheers from his supporters at Ogembo trading centre after being declared winner on Friday. Mr Ogari polled 14,880 against Mr Joel Onyancha of PNU's 14,090 in a fiercely contested by-election. Photo/JACOB OWITI
What you need to know:
- Wins in Bomachoge and Shinyalu silence ODM’s critics despite incessant wrangling
This week’s Shinyalu and Bomachoge by-elections were more than just another electoral exercise, if the mood their results created in the two constituencies is anything to go by.
Held at a time when internal wrangles threatened to tear the Orange Democratic Movement right in the middle, the polls served to test the popularity of the party at the grassroots against its biggest competitor in the polls, the Party of National Unity.
Political dominance
And, true to its word, ODM used the by-elections to cement its political dominance in Western and Nyanza provinces by retaining the Shinyalu seat and snatching the Bomachoge one from PNU.
However, the real winners were Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Public Works minister Chris Obure — the two men who spearheaded the ODM charge in Shinyalu and Bomachoge respectively.
In Shinyalu, ODM’s Justus Kizito garnered 14,452 votes against Kaddu’s Daniel Khamasi’s 5,080. PNU’s Patrick Chungani was third with 3,304 votes.
In Bomachoge, ODM’s Simon Ogari narrowly won with 14,788 votes against PNU’s Joel Onyancha who got 14,099 votes.
What had earlier been billed as the mother of all battles for political supremacy in Western province, pitting Mr Mudavadi against Kaddu leader Cyrus Jirongo, turned out to be a no-contest event as ODM’s Justus Kizito easily whitewashed Kaddu’s Daniel Khamasi by a 9,000-vote margin — one of the highest in a by-election.
The Bomachoge by-election, on the other hand, presented two battlefronts, the first pitting ODM against PNU, and the second pitting the orange party’s various factions.
Not only did Mr Obure have to contend with a high-powered PNU brigade determined to retain the seat it previously held, but also to soldier on without some ODM MPs from the Gusii community who kept off the campaigns.
Reacting to the Shinyalu results, Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale, who led the New Ford Kenya assault, alleged “massive” bribery of voters, which he said led to his candidate’s dismal performance.
“It was not a battle of political supremacy, but that of economic might,” said the MP.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, who accompanied Mr Jirongo on the campaign trail for the Kaddu candidate.
Reported by Peter Leftie, Daniel Otieno, Jackline Moraa, Benson Amadala and Patrick Mayoyo
