Raila Odinga awaits acid test in Migori senate by-election

The performance of the youthful Eddy Oketch in Monday’s Migori Senate by-election will be interesting to watch as ODM leader Raila Odinga seeks to solidify his grip on the region’s politics.

The by-election will be a litmus test for Mr Odinga. The politician, who has a fanatic following in Nyanza, has for the past two days pleaded with Migori residents not to let him down.

He said he has “special attachment” to the region since he ventured into politics. Mr Odinga’s wife, Ida, comes from Stella village in Uriri Sub-County.

“Last year, Migori was the epicentre of Nasa revolution. No ballot was cast in the repeat presidential election and all activities came to a halt,” Mr Odinga said in Migori Town during the campaigns for ODM’s candidate Ochilo Ayacko.

He reminded residents of last year’s General Election, stating that Migori believed in his dream of going to ‘Canaan’.

“This is why they remain very dear to me,” he said, adding that a vote for Mr Ayacko would be a vote for ODM ideologies and a realisation of what their forefathers would have wanted of them.

OBADO

Mr Ayacko is facing competition from 27-year-old Oketch and the raging political rivalry between Mr Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto is rife in Migori.

ODM party claims that Mr Ruto is covertly influencing the race in favour of an ODM rival.

Despite his absence in the campaigns, Mr Ruto has been accused by the ODM politicians of supporting Mr Oketch.

Migori Governor Okoth Obado, who has been detained pending his arraignment to face charges relating to the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno, has variously been perceived by ODM supporters to be a political acquaintance of the deputy president.

This perception is traced to the 2013 election when Mr Obado withstood the ODM wave and got elected on little-known People’s Democratic Party that was allied to Jubilee.

Upon his election, the governor held several functions in Migori in which Mr Ruto was the guest of honour.

DOMINANCE

Mr Obado’s move to oppose ODM’s decision to hand a direct ticket to Mr Ayacko is believed to have been influenced by Mr Ruto.

Mr Obado surprised many because his pronouncement came after his political truce with Mr Ayacko. The truce was engineered by Mr Odinga during the burial of former Senator Ben Okello.

The governor has initially supported former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno, who later withdrew from the race to take up a job with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

Even with embattled governor’s absence, his influence is still felt and that has informed ODM’s rigorous campaigns.

Mr Ruto is said to be working with Mr Obado to start a movement to challenge Mr Odinga's dominance in Nyanza politics.

The perception of Mr Ruto’s influence in the Senate race was lent credence by Kuria West MP Mathias Robi's move to publicly throw his weight behind Mr Oketch.

SUPPORTERS

Jubilee's Robi is seen as Mr Ruto's point man in the county. “I am in Jubilee and I support DP Ruto in 2022, but I urge you to vote in this young man,” Mr Robi told Kuria residents last week.

Sources told Sunday Nation that during his recent tour of Kuria, the DP is said to have met with a number of local leaders, where the decision to back Mr Oketch was allegedly reached.

Mr Oketch has however dismissed claims that he is linked to the DP.

“The claims that I am being fronted by other people are outrageous and meant to divert attention from the real issues in the campaign.

"That is political propaganda and the public knows that last year I mounted a bigger campaign in which I also used a chopper,” he said during a press conference in Migori on Wednesday.

“ODM has the right to support their candidate but for me, I am trying to talk to my constituents. The final mandate lies with the people of Migori,” he said.

STRATEGY

Mr Odinga on Friday asked the residents not to be swayed “by newcomers to politics with nothing much to offer in terms of leadership”.

ODM national chairman John Mbadi was more blunt.

“This young boy is trying to dare Mr Odinga to a contest. He should know that Raila is never dared because he plays his politics in the top league,” he said.

On Saturday, the top candidates retreated to strategy meetings with their agents and poll observers.

“Our agents are being given proper training on how to detect and report election malpractices,” a close ally of Mr Ayacko - who asked to remain anonymous - said.

Similar remarks were expressed by the handlers of Mr Oketch.

Others in the race are Mr Peter Jobando (Green Congress Party), Mr Samwel Otieno (independent) and Mr Dickson Ogolla (independent).