Storm in Siaya over ODM plan to hand direct ticket to Oburu Oginga
Siaya senatorial aspirant Julius Okinda (JT) addressing supporters during a campaign rally at Tingare in Ugunja Constituency on March 26, 2022.
A political storm is brewing in Siaya County over alleged plan by ODM to hand a direct ticket in the county’s senatorial contest.
Some aspirants have accused the party of trying to impose Dr Oburu Oginga, ODM leader Raila Odinga’s brother on the people by handing him a direct ticket for the seat.
Speaking during a press conference in Nairobi, the aspirants said they will not allow anything less than a democratic process in the party’s primaries to settle on the flag bearer for the Azimio la Umoja-affiliated party.
Senatorial aspirant Julius (J.T) Okinda alleged that ODM had shown open bias during the campaigns favouring the East African Legislative Assembly MP instead of leaving the ultimate power to pick their preferred candidate to the people.
“We want free and fair nomination process. Let Oburu campaign as Oburu without interference from the party,” said Mr Okinda.
Party democracy
“ODM must practice intra-party democracy and stop abusing its structures to campaign for Dr Oburu. We expect nothing less than a democratic process where the people have a say on who will lead them,” he added.
He challenged ODM’s National Elections Board (NEB) to come assure all aspirants that the nomination process will be free, fair and transparent.
“All aspirants must have an equal chance of being elected without interference by the party. NEB must come out to tell us who will lead the process and ensure it is conducted in a transparent manner,” he said.
Mr Okinda said it is time the county ushers in new leadership.
“Let people of Siaya elect leaders who will take them out of poverty. Siaya has witnessed 10 wasted years under the current leadership. We don’t want another 10 years of the same,” he said.
Direct ticket
Mr Tony Yogo, also a senatorial aspirant, called for a level playing field, saying he is privy to information that the party wants to hand the ticket to Dr Oginga.
He claimed that they were being forced to support Dr Oginga’s bid yet the opinion polls conducted by the party shows that the former Bondo MP is trailing.
“The party wants us to endorse Dr Oginga and are not giving consensus a chance yet he is trailing in the polls. How can you then hand a direct ticket to someone like that?” posed Mr Yogo.
He appealed to the former Prime Minister to reject the invitation by the party to circumvent the will of the people by agreeing to the plan.
“Don’t let the cartels force you to do what is not good for the people of Siaya. You have fought for democracy all your life and agreeing to this will be negating what you have stood for over the years,” said Mr Yogo.
“Give the people the ultimate power to elect leaders of their choice. If he [Dr Oginga] wins in the nominations, we will support him and let him also support any one of us if we win,” he added.
