By Generali Osumo Jnr
I am more of Raila Odinga than I am ODM, clarification number 1. My support for H.E Raila Odinga the enigma is unwavering whether ODM dies or it’s alive, clarification number 2.
Ni wakati wa kumwaga mtama na kuambiana ukweli!
Now back to business. In 2016 and early 2017 I was actively involved in working personally for Raila Odinga and in extension the ODM Party. We were a team of like 9 very resourceful and passionate young ladies and gentlemen. I was the only one from Gusii. At one time we were tasked to do a survey on the popularity of the candidates who were interested in the ODM tickets in all the Constituencies in Kenya especially in Nyanza, Western, Coast, North Eastern and some parts of Rift Valley.
I was assigned to do the survey in Gusii. I was facilitated well and I identified very independent grassroot people in the 65 wards in Gusii to work as my team. I set dates where I visited each of the 13 Constituencies where I collected the reports from my team at the ground. I went back to our office in Nairobi compiled the report as I got it from the grassroots and gave recommendations on who is likely to win in each of the Constituencies if awarded the ODM ticket.
Immediately the report made it’s way into the now-defunct Orange House it was thrown under the table!
What I noted is that we did not have very potential candidates from Nyamira interested in the ODM Party tickets and suggested that we can poach some from Wiper like Ben Momanyi and Steve Mogaka/Kemosi Mogaka who were extremely popular in their respective Constituencies but were vying with our NASA affiliate parties. None of that happened.
They vied on Wiper and Ford Kenya and won. Steve Mogaka came second to Kemosi but with very impressive number of votes!
In Kisii I recommended a number of candidates who are MPs today. My team at the ground had done a wonderful job indeed. For instance, in South Mugirango my team had given Sylvanus Osoro a possible win with Dennis Makori following him closely.
Surprisingly none of the 2 got the ODM ticket. Osoro jumped ship and now he’s an MP. In Bonchari my report recommended JB Momanyi and Oroo Oyioka. For fear of possible rigging in the primaries, Oroo exited to a different Party and he’s an MP.
In Kitutu Chache South we recommended Richard Onyonka as our first choice. But due to the many problems we had with ODM primaries, Onyonka exited to Ford Kenya and won the MP seat. In Bobasi the current MP Innocent Obiri topped in our survey but he never managed to get the ticket. I can’t mention all but I wanted to use such examples to show how much the mismanagement of hawking of party tickets has costed us before and is haunting us until now.
All this can be blamed on the Party Secretariat and the county party leadership. The party treasurer Timothy Bosire’s mistake to support a weak candidate Dr. James Gesami in the Nyamira ODM primaries was to cost us the governorship seat. Had Nyagarama not won the ticket today we would be having a Jubilee Governor in Nyamira, that’s a FACT. We stood firm against Bosire whom we respect so much and managed to secure the governorship position.
In Kisii the mismanagement of the ODM primaries which resulted in zero MP seat will entirely be blamed on Hon. Janet Ong’era dominance in ODM affairs in the region. She operates ODM affairs like her own personal kiosk in Kisii. The many defections from the party in Kisii are directly linked to her. I know I might get some resistance on this but if I will be required to give evidence I will and without any fear of contraction.
More revelations coming… Stay tuned.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM