ODM wins big after Kisii clan sharing plan

The ODM formula of sharing out seats to different interest groups in Kisii County seems to have worked after it captured all the county seats.

The strategy that was drafted by ODM executive officials proposed that the seats be distributed evenly among the six clan houses in the county.

In the plan, seat distribution was as follows; Kitutu Chache, governor; Bobasi, senator; Bonchari, women’s representative; Bomachoge, deputy governor; Nyaribari, Speaker; and South Mugirango, County Chief executive officer.

The proposal drew mixed reactions from supporters and aspirants who felt short-changed in the deal.

The then ODM county chairman, Mr Chris Obure, who has since captured the senate seat defended the proposal with supportive argument that it was done in good faith.

Mr Obure said the formula catered for clan interests.

“Without the formula, large clans can take advantage of numbers and leave out the others who would feel marginalised,” he said.

Mr James Ongwae, former manager for the PM’s campaign team, has become the county’s first governor.

He got 120,181 votes against TNA’s Patrick Lumumba, who managed 63,752 votes.

Organised structure

Mrs Mary Sally Otara was elected the National Assembly women representative.

During the polls, Mr Obure got 123,500 followed by Prof Sam Ongeri who bagged 106,325 while Mr Omingo Magara was third with 100,754 votes.

ODM had an upper hand in the region because it had established an organised structure that gave its candidates a head-start.

Party leader and presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga garnered most votes in the region.

The party got four MPs in the county. They include Mr Manson Nyamweya, who won with a landslide against Mr Joshua Ondora of TNA.

Equally, Mr Chris Bichage, who in the past has unsuccessfully contested in Nyaribari Chache, pulled a surprise by sending former MP Robert Monda packing.

Mr Bichage won with 10,706 votes followed by Mr Richard Tongi of WDM, who bagged 10,561 votes.