Raila to Nyanza: Vote six piece to ensure I am not a toothless president

Opposition Chief Raila Odinga has renewed his push for six-piece system of voting in his strongholds 82 days to the coming August General Elections.

Mr Odinga’s visit come amidst tension and concern that there was a resurgence of ‘stronger’ Independent candidates who were gaining ground, not only in Kisumu but other Luo Nyanza counties of Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties.

Mr Odinga asked the electorate to vote all ODM candidates to ensure he is not a toothless president when he is elected.

While raising Governor Anyang Nyong’o’s hand and asking the electorate to support him, Mr Odinga said the same should be replicated in all the other five four seats.

“I have chosen Nyong’o as my captain down here as I fight the bigger battle up there and I want you to vote him as well as other ODM candidates don to the MCA level. will you do that? Posed Mr Odinga, as the crowd responded in the affirmative.

He was speaking moments after he presided over the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of Affordable Houses at the former Makasembo Estate.

He was accompanied by Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o, Deputy Governors Dr Mathews Owili (Kisumu), Dr James Okumbe (Siaya), Nyanza Regional Commissioner Mr Magu Mutindika as well as city manager Mr Abala Wanga.

A day before this, he also toured Ahero, Rabuor and Nyamasaria where he asked the locals to support him at the same time line up the leaders who won the ODM nomination ticket for the member of the county assembly and the National Assembly seats.

While in the recent years getting an ODM ticket was a sure bet, the growing number of perceived strong independent candidates have continued to pose a worry to ticket holders.

He told the ecstatic crowd that he must be given loyal troops who will work with him at the national level.

“I do not want to be a powerless and toothless president without numbers, you must give me soldiers who will work with me in running the government,” said Mr Odinga.

It is not the first time; the Opposition leader was pleading with his supporters to elect ODM candidates.

On April 18th, while speaking at Nyasore, Kabondo for the burial of Kenyan Ambassador to Qatar, Patrick Cornel 'Paddy' Ahenda, he said should ODM get less seats in the Senate and the National Assembly, he might find it a little difficult to run government.

His push for six piece has continued to rub the other fringe parties within the Azimio la Umoja Coalition the wrong way, with many opposing plans to zone the country and prevent them from fielding candidates especially in the ODM strongholds.

For those who were given direct tickets or won the party primaries, sources claim, are still not sitting pretty as they eagerly wait for the final list of the nominees, the Orange Party will be submitting to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The situation has been worsened by the anxiety and confusion among aspirants and their supporters who are yet to know the ODM nominee for various seats in Siaya and Kisumu Counties.
It is on this backdrop that he came to the ground and drum up support for his troops in ODM after it emerged that the nomination head ache was hampering the campaigns in Mr Odinga’s strongholds.

Last week, Dr Oburu Oginga, the former Premier’s elder brother admitted that the campaigns have been adversely affected by the law suits and anxiety after nominations.

“This anxiety and unresolved disputes has affected our campaigns because everywhere you go on the ground, people are complaining and that is why we are in Nairobi to try and resolve the matters because Bondo, Gem and Alego are at a standstill and our people are getting demoralized,” said Dr Oginga.

He raised concern that this would affect the final presidential votes come August 9th asking the party to do as the courts ordered to end the stalemate.

The presence of stronger opponents for the ODM nominees also explains the lull in activities with the party officials requesting that Mr Odinga personally visits his backyard to quell the tension and encourage his lieutenants.

However, two last Saturdays, a planned visit by the ODM leader to visit Kisumu to calm the brewing storm, was cancelled at the last minute to allow the nominees to lay ground work before their leader would come.

While Mr Odinga's visit was largely christened as developmental since he was to open Kibuye market and the Uhuru Business Park, officially alongside Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o, the main aim was to drum up support for the ODM party nominees for various elective seats. 

Prior to that, there were two emergency meetings at sunset Hotel bringing together all ODM nominees on Thursday and Friday in Kisumu in anticipated to lay ground for the former Premier.

A source revealed that some rogue elected leaders who were not reading from the Party’s script were talked down and asked to shelve their other allegiances before the nominations and embrace the party’s choice.

It was also alleged that the independent candidates were on the ground muddying the water for the ODM nominees telling the voters not to apply the six-piece style of voting, but consider an individual’s capabilities not the party.