Clan politics have sparked a bitter rivalry and fallout between Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron and former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma, both of whom are eyeing the Kisumu governorship in 2027.
Dr Oron, a first-term MP, is among the aspirants seeking the ODM ticket, while Mr Ranguma, who governed the county from 2013 to 2017, is yet to announce the party under which he will contest.
Mr Ranguma unsuccessfully defended his seat in 2017 but lost to the current Governor Anyang' Nyong'o in both the ODM nominations and the General Election.
The former governor has rejected calls for him to support Dr Oron for the seat, claiming that the legislator and a clique of politicians around him contributed to his downfall in the 2017 elections.
He specifically named Dr Oron and Dr Hezron Mc'Obewa, who also ran a high-profile gubernatorial campaign then, as among those who allegedly worked with his opponents to ensure he did not secure victory.
Both Mr Ranguma and Dr Oron hail from the Kano clan, which commands significant numerical strength in the county.
The clan has considerable influence over voting patterns in Nyando, Muhoroni and Kisumu East constituencies, as well as a substantial section of the cosmopolitan Kisumu Central constituency.
Former Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura, who has already declared that he will contest as an independent candidate, also hails from the Kano clan.
Over the weekend, during a burial ceremony in Kobura Ward, Nyando Constituency, several politicians urged Mr Ranguma not to contest the governorship and instead support Dr Oron so that the clan's votes could be consolidated behind one candidate.
The calls were, however, flatly rejected by the former governor, who also dismissed suggestions that he should instead vie for the Senate seat.
"They are the ones who spoiled this thing and made me lose the election. Today they are claiming they have the future of the county at heart and they are the ones who can lead," said Mr Ranguma.
"We told Mc'Obewa to vie for Muhoroni MP so that we don't divide our votes but he insisted and said that was a small seat. He feared K'Oyoo (current Muhoroni MP James Onyango K'Oyoo)," added Mr Ranguma.
He said both Dr Oron and Dr Mc'Obewa were ungrateful after benefitting during his term as a governor and insisted that he remains firmly in the race ahead of 2027.
Dr Oron, however, says he has set his sights on securing the ODM ticket for governor, citing his victory in the cosmopolitan Kisumu Central constituency in 2022 as an indication he can traverse murky political waters.
"In 2017, I was Ranguma's chief agent and I stood with him as our son. It is time for him to support me," said Dr Oron.
"I want to be governor because of the flood menace which has destroyed the livelihood of many of our people in Nyando. The electorate should ask those who are eyeing the seat what they did before being elected," he added.
On November 13 last year, elders representatives from 13 clans of the Kano community convened a meeting in Nyando where they unanimously endorsed Dr Oron's gubernatorial bid.
"We have other sons like Jack Ranguma and Ken Obura who are capable leaders, but our decision is based on development track record and consistency. Oron has stood with the people, and the people are now standing with him," said Elder Walter Aluoch, chairman of the elders caucus who met.
With Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, who hails from Seme, constitutionally ineligible for re-election, members of the Kano clan believe it is their turn to reclaim the seat, arguing that their son, Mr Ranguma, served only one term.
Apart from Dr Oron, Mr Obura and Mr Ranguma, five other elected leaders have also declared their interest in the governorship. However, they will first have to battle for the ODM ticket in what is expected to be a highly competitive party nomination race.
The aspirants include Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor, Kisumu Town West MP Rosa Buyu, Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga and Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili.
