Alila rejects ODM’s request to abandon race

Homa Bay senatorial candidate Hillary Alila has maintained that he will not quit the race in favour of one of his opponents.

Those pushing for Mr Alila’s to abandon the race are associated with Mr Philip Okundi of Maendeleo Democratic Party. Mr Okundi recently received support from Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero who has broken ranks with his ODM party.

Cord leader Raila Odinga is rallying forces for ODM candidate Moses Kajwang’.

Mr Alila, who is running as an independent candidate, acknowledged that he had initially been approached by a section of ODM party members after the death of Fidel Odinga, son of party leader Raila Odinga, and asked to abandon the race in his respect.

He, however, rejected the offer saying he had put in a lot of money and energy into the campaign and will not step down in favour of anyone.

“I had wide consultations on the matter and my people encouraged me to soldier on. I have a lot of respect for the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who enjoys overwhelming support in the region. However, the only problem people have is the ODM’s choice of candidate,” he said.

But fresh attempts to persuade Mr Alila to pull out of the race, Sunday Nation was told, are aimed at preventing a split of the votes between Mr Alila and Mr Okundi in order to give Mr Kajwang a strong advantage in the February 12 contest.

But Mr Alila has said the efforts will not move him. “I will not step down for anybody. My decision to stay in this race is driven by a desire to serve the people of Homa Bay who should be allowed to choose their next senator, freely” he said.

Mr Alila is seen as a formidable candidate having garnered 60,000 votes against former senator Otieno Kajwang’ of ODM, whose death last year triggered the by-election. 

SUPREMACY BATTLE

The Homa Bay contest has taken a fresh dimension, turning into a supremacy battle between Mr Odinga and Mr Kidero.

Though he is the Nairobi governor, Dr Kidero hails from Homa Bay County where he has been trying to flex his muscles against Mr Odinga’s influence. Though the two leaders have in the past publicly declared they had no differences, their actions have always painted a different picture. 

Meanwhile, campaigns for the seat have resumed  after a five-day break. Although resistance was anticipated after ODM legislators James Rege (Karachuonyo) and his Rangwe counterpart George Oner openly rebelled against the party’s choice of Moses Otieno Kajwang, it is the

entry of Governor Kidero into the campaigns that has sparked interest.

What is also likely to make the campaigns intriguing is the fact that for the first time, Dr Kidero is set to openly test his political might against that of the ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Since Dr Kidero was among those who were present at Orange House  when ODM party unveiled Kajwang’ as its flag bearer for the Homa Bay race, very few people had expected him  to switch his support to the Maendeleo Democratic Party flag bearer Mr Okundi, who was among those who defected from the Orange party last month in protest at the handling of the nominations.

As was expected, the reactions especially from ODM officials, were swift with the party’s political affairs office vowing to pursue disciplinary action against him.

However, Dr Kidero’s political allies in Homa Bay County led by Kasipul politician Charles Ongondo lauded his decision and dared the ODM party officials to make good their threat and “discipline” the governor.

Others in the race are Aduke Ratimo (Labour Party of Kenya) and Fred Rabongo of the National Agenda Party.