NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 31 – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ousted Siaya County Governor Cornel Amoth Rasanga may not be granted direct nomination to defend his seat on the party’s ticket.
Local leaders speaking at the home coming party for Rarieda MP, Nicholas Gumbo, called for Rasanga to vie for the party’s ticket in a nomination process.
This comes after intense pressure and lobbying to have Rasanga dropped as a candidate and the ODM ticket handed to another candidate following the nullification of his election by the High Court in Kisumu.
Carey Orege, the former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Regional Development, Oduor Ongwen an economic expert and former Ambassador to United States, Elkanah Odembo are some of the names being fronted to succeed Rasanga in the ODM stronghold.
“Already I have the grasp to lead this county and I should be allowed to continue with my work as the governor. However, I will not quit ODM even if the party decides not to nominate me for the by election,” Rasanga, who read the mood in the crowd said.
His hopes now lies with the ODM top brass who are about to meet and decide the nomination criteria with Rasanga reminding them to come up with a reasonable decision.
Nominated MP, Oburu Odinga who once contested the ODM ticket nomination for the Siaya gubernatorial seat in the last general election also hinted he is ready to vie for the seat.
Oburu noted that the seat was originally reserved for Bondo constituency where he hails from but was given to the Alego Usonga people after the tussle between the latter and William Oduol, the petitioner who succeeded in toppling Rasanga.
“Alego Usonga people should give us peace, the seat was originally meant for Bondo constituency, it is now up to you to go sit down and decide but remember that I am still around,” he declared.
Residents of Siaya County are watching keenly on how ODM will pick a formidable candidate to take on the petitioner Oduol of the National Agenda Party of Kenya having ditched the party of choice after losing a bitterly contested nomination process against Rasanga.
The ousted Governor was the first county boss to lose his seat in an election petition last week with High Court judge Aggrey Muchelule rulling the polls Siaya gubernatorial elections were not free and fair.
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