All eyes on Wanga after Mbadi dropped out of governor race
Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga during a past event.
The prospects of Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga bagging the ODM ticket for the governor’s race increased yesterday after one of the main challengers quit the race.
Party chairman John Mbadi withdrew as it became apparent that powerful forces in the party were casting their lot with her. Those unnamed people are said to have talked Mr Mbadi out of the race.
Ms Wanga is among the front-runners in the race to succeed Governor Cyprian Awiti in the August 9 elections.
There are other politicians who are also interested in the seat.
But all signs are that the woman rep is preferred by ODM because of her popularity and gender.
She is now the person to watch as the August elections approach.
The race has now narrowed down to a few individuals after some of them withdrew.
By December last year, at least 10 gubernatorial aspirants had lined up to compete for the seat.
They included Mr Mbadi, former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, former Homa Bay County secretary Isaiah Ogwe, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga and county Finance executive Nicholas Koriko.
Others were Homa Bay Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (Kuppet) secretary-general Akelo Misori, businessman Jared Kiasa, and Luis Ogingo.
Some have since pulled out of the race, citing different reasons, with four still actively seeking the seat.
Some of those who stepped down are said to have been asked to suspend campaigns with promises of job opportunities in the next government.
The active aspirants are Ms Wanga, Mr Magwanga, Mr Ogwe and Dr Kidero.
Those who withdrew included Mr Koriko, who failed to resign from office six months before polls, under the Elections Act.
Mr Mbadi, on the other hand, announced on Monday that he had withdrawn from the competition to concentrate on national politics and the Azimio la Umoja presidential campaign.
Mr Kiasa had dropped out four days ago to support Mr Mbadi, who unfortunately made a similar decision later.
A recent survey conducted by a pollster known as the Consortium of Researchers on Governance Africa (CORG) showed that Mr Magwanga was leading the pack with 23.6 percent.
He was followed closely by Ms Wanga (20.4 percent) and Mr Ogwe (20.1 per cent).
Dr Kidero was ranked fourth at 13.5 percent, with Mr Mbadi at position five with 10.5 per cent.
Mr Orata was number six with 2.7 percent.
Ms Wanga is said to be planning to work with Mr Magwanga, who unsuccessfully contested the governor’s seat in 2017. He lost and challenged in court the results released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Their union will give the duo an upper hand if another politician chooses to challenge them.
Support of Women
Ms Wanga is banking on the support of women, who make the majority of voters in the county.
Her economic programmes to empower women through the Homa Bay County Women Sacco, which was initiated in 2015, has seen women in business take up loans to expand their businesses.
She has also been supporting small-scale traders through grants in a programme called Abedo.
In this initiative, traders from two markets in every ward benefited from a grant of up to Sh5,000.
A majority of beneficiaries are aswekra traders, women who buy items like vegetables at the market and sell them for a profit.
Projects for transforming markets into modern business facilities also boosted her support.
Since being elected in 2013, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) in Homa Bay has built four modern markets in Magunga in Suba, Kodiera in Ndhiwa, Rangwe town and Homa Bay town that have cold storage facilities for storing fish.
NGAAF is building another market at Ringa trading centre in Kabondo Kasipul.
Ms Wanga also has the support of families that have benefited from training with the National Industrial Training Authority (Nita).
Young people from the county have benefited from post-secondary education through Nita in a programme funded by NGAAF.
Mr Magwanga, on the other hand, has been known for prudently using public funds.
He was voted the best MP when he served in Kabondo Kasipul constituency.
Mr Magwanga has also traversed the county and is well known in all corners of Homa Bay.
Some county residents disagreed with ODM for choosing to issue direct nomination certificates to candidates.
Mr Walter Opiyo, an opinion leader in the county, said the party is not as democratic as its name suggests if it dishes out certificates without allowing fair competition.
“The party has been telling its supporters that it will conduct free and fair nominations. To the other politicians who have been locked out, the process has not been fair,” he said.
Mr Opiyo asked all parties to adhere to transparent nominations so as to minimise voter apathy in August.
