SIAYA, Kenya, Apr 11 – Siaya Senator James Orengo has one man to beat for the Siaya Gubernatorial seat in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party nominations.
This is after one of the contenders Bella Akinyi withdrew her candidature claiming that she will go with the party’s choice.
Orengo who is seen as the party’s favorite will have to square it out in the party primaries with George Mbeya, who is also eying the ODM ticket.
Akinyi who addressed a press conference in Kisumu on Monday, fell short to say that she is backing Orengo but maintains that she will not walk out of the party but supports its choice.
Should Orengo clinch the party primaries, then he will face off with former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo who has teamed up with former police spokesperson Charles Owino of United Democratic Movement (UDM) party in the August elections.
The duo too left ODM after it emerged that Orengo would be given a direct ticket in the race to replace incumbent governor Cornel Rasanga who is serving his second and final term.
Akinyi expressed disappointment with the party and blamed the party’s top brass over what she termed as a well-orchestrated chaos before and during nominations.
“I am going to be with ODM as I have always done since the inception, I have been with Raila Odinga since LDP and even when he was in detention,” Akinyi said.
She says she will congratulate her opponent noting that the ODM party decided a long time ago that they are going to give a direct ticket to a specific candidate.
“But they were not brave enough. They were fearful and went behind the scenes on matters of nominations,” Akinyi said. She pointed out that she has shares in ODM like any other members.
She noted that it is either ODM has become extremely ineffective or a well-organized chaos which means there is always internal interference during nominations.
Akinyi says the nomination mess has distracted ODM party leader who is the Azimio La Umoja candidate, from concentrating in his candidature.
“We are currently not even talking about Raila’s presidency but nomination chaos in ODM. This orchestrated chaos has to stop and make sure we are organized,” she said.
