More Odingas poised to occupy public offices after ODM primaries

For family members and relatives of ODM leader Raila Odinga contesting various seats, recent party nominations in Nyanza presented a mixed bag of fruits.

The Azimio la Umoja Okoa Kenya Alliance presidential flag-bearer was the first person from the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family to be cleared to contest this year.

Every election cycle brings new entrants from the family, following in the footsteps of their fathers to enter politics.

Newbies

In the ODM primaries, some managed to get nomination certificates, while others, especially the newbies, fell along the way.

One of the winners was East African Legislative Assembly member Dr Oburu Oginga, the family’s spokesperson who had Mr Odinga’s endorsement and was spared the rigorous nomination process by being awarded a ticket to run for Siaya senator.

So fortunate was the former Bondo MP that Mr Odinga even asked voters not to subject the ‘old man’ to campaigns, citing his record as Bondo MP and the sacrifices he had made in the liberation struggle.

The 78-year-old said he wanted to join the Senate so as to share his vast experience in legislation spanning about 30 years.

Another winner was their younger sister Ruth Odinga, who once served as Kisumu deputy governor under ex-county boss Jack Ranguma. She was the director of special programmes under incumbent Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o before resigning to seek an elective seat.

She had ambitions to succeed Prof Nyong’o but shifted her eyes to the woman representative seat. She received her ticket after defeating prominent women politicians in the region in Tuesday’s primaries.

Ms Odinga won the ticket with 23,665 votes against her closest challenger Rose Kisia’s 13,999. Dr Kisia is a former Tourism department executive.

But on the day Ms Odinga won the nomination, her nephew Elijah Bonyo Oburu, a son of Dr Oginga, lost in his contest.

Mr Bonyo came a distant fourth in the race for the Kisumu Central parliamentary ticket, getting only 172 votes, a competition won by philanthropist and medical doctor Joshua Oron with 6,842.

Kisumu Central MP Fred Ouda was the biggest casualty after he suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Dr Oron, a newcomer in a hotly contested race.

Mr Ouda received 5,362 votes while Mr Victor Owuor Radido was third with 269.

Mr Jalang’o Midiwo, a first cousin of Mr Odinga, failed to make his debut in politics after he lost to the incumbent MP Elisha Odhiambo in the race for the ODM ticket for the Gem parliamentary seat.

Mr Midiwo suffered another blow after the party’s Appeals Tribunal upheld Mr Odhiambo’s win.

Tribunal chairman Frederick Orego said Mr Midiwo had failed to prove that his allegations of malpractices were widespread enough to affect the outcome of the election.

Mr George Abwajo, Dr Oginga’s son-in-law, who was seeking the Milimani Market ward representative seat, lost to the incumbent Seth Adui Kanga.

The same fate befell nominated MCA Truphosa Osewe, Mr Odinga’s sister-in-law, who was seeking the ODM ticket for the North Sakwa ward representative seat. She lost in last Wednesday’s primaries in Siaya.

Mr Odinga’s younger brother Omondi Odinga withdrew from the race, in what was said to be a move to avoid a clash with Mr Abwajo.

Earlier, Mr Jaoko Oburu, Dr Oginga’s son, had declared his interest in the Lang’ata parliamentary seat in Nairobi but also dropped out before the primaries.

The 50-year-old Mr Oburu is the Roads and Public Works executive in Siaya

He is an astute mobiliser and has been involved in politics for some time. He was part of the youthful Friends of Raila pressure group and Bado Mapambano Movement in 2017, and now chairs the Youth for the Handshake Alliance (YOTHA).

While Mr Odinga’s daughter Rosemary Odinga has not been seen in public for a while, she is still being mentioned as a possible contestant for the Kibra parliamentary seat, having started various initiatives before she fell sick.

Her younger sister Winnie, who was present at Uhuru Park when her father was sworn in as the “people’s president”, is also politically active but little has been said about whether she will plunge into politics.