NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19 – Former Journalist David Ohito has been nominated as the running mate for Siaya Gubernatorial Aspirant Nicholas Gumbo.
This is after Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino exited midway for undisclosed reasons occasioning the appointment of Ohito for the slot.
Currently, Ohito is the secretary general for the United Democratic Movement (UDM) led by Mandera Governor Ali Roba. He has also previously served as the Chief of Staff in Mandera country during Roba’s tenure.
“Its official I have received communication from the UDM election board and the party leader Ali Roba and the governor aspirant Nicholas Gumbo. I have been duly picked replacing Charles Owino. I want to thank the party and Gumbo for giving me the chance to run alongside him,” said Ohito in a phone interview with Capital FM.
Ohito was set to battle it out for the slot with Tubman Ochogo, a former Town clerk who was Gumbo’s running mate in 2017 and Martin Baraza, a veterinarian and consultant working with an international NGO.
“There is no doubt that I fit the bill to be the running mate and I want to thank my worthy competitors who have expressed interest and have pulled out of the race in support of my candidature,” the UDM secretary general stated.
Owino withdrew from the race by writing to the UDM party saying he will no longer vie alongside Gumbo in the race where they are expected to face it off with Orange Democractic Movement gubernatorial aspirant James Orengo.
“Owino has withdrawn for personal reasons having had serious deliberations with the party first of all and deliberations with Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta. The best option was for him to pull out of the race and leave politics for now,” Ohito stated.
Details have emerged that the Former Police Spokesperson didn’t actually withdraw from the National Police Service and is slated to return and serve as the Director of the Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Ohito opines that Owino has not committed any offence by not formally resigning from the National Police Service.
“Nobody has been cleared to participate in elections and since the gazzetement of the candidates has not been done then we cant say there is an offence,”