Homa Bay aspirants dismiss Kidero's independent run
ODM Party leader Raila Odinga (right) when he announced that Homa Bay County Woman Rep Gladys Wanga (centre) will vie for the Homa Bay County gubernatorial seat on an ODM ticket. Evans Kidero (inset), eyeing the same ticket, dismissed the nomination and vowed to contest as an independent.
What you need to know:
- ODM Party leader Raila Odinga announced that Homa Bay County Woman Rep Gladys Wanga will vie for the Homa Bay County gubernatorial seat on an ODM ticket. Evans Kidero, eyeing the same ticket, dismissed the nomination and vowed to contest as an independent.
Some political aspirants in Homa Bay County have dismissed as inconsequential former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero’s plan to run as an independent in the battle to succeed outgoing Governor Cyprian Awiti.
Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi yesterday, the aspirants, led by Karachuonyo parliamentary seat aspirant Sammy Owino, said they support ODM’s decision to hand Woman Representative Gladys Wanga a direct ticket for the gubernatorial contest.
Mr Owino, the organising secretary of Homa Bay County Professionals, said they back the consensus that led to Ms Wanga becoming the flag-bearer and former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga as her running mate.
On Thursday last week, ODM party leader Raila Odinga said Ms Wanga would be issued with a certificate after seven candidates stepped down in favour of her candidacy.
Dr Kidero then announced he would vie for the seat as an independent candidate after ODM gave Ms Wanga the ticket.
Bit Dr Kidero’s critics have accused him of trying to create confusion and division in the lakeside county by forming a breakaway faction of ODM, saying the movement that they called Kalausi is bound to fail.
Political aspirants in Homa Bay County led by Karachuonyo parliamentary seat aspirant Sammy Owino (centre)addressing the press at Swiss Lenana Mount hotel in Nairobi. They are supporting the consensus where ODM party settled on Gladys Wanga as the County's Gubernatorial aspirant and JOyugi Magwanga as her running mate.
The aspirants said they would rally residents behind ODM candidates, including Mr Odinga, the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya presidential flag-bearer.
“We urge the former Nairobi governor to desist from creating division and confusion in Homa Bay County. We reject the spirit of Kalausi in totality. The first Kalausi failed and the second one is also destined to fail,” Mr Owino said.
He alleged that some candidates were trying to mislead voters in the county by selling a narrative of voter apathy.
He dismissed that view, reiterating that Homa Bay residents will rally behind Mr Odinga and come out in large numbers on August 9 to elect him the fifth President of Kenya.
“We want to tell them that the voters of Homa Bay County are fully behind the former Prime Minister and we will follow whatever he says.” He said.
“Let the former governor of Nairobi conduct his politics without involving the name of the ODM party leader as we will not allow that to continue.”
He urged residents to come out and participate in primaries and do so peacefully.
