Vote six-piece for ODM, Raila Odinga tells his Nyanza backyard

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has asked his Luo Nyanza backyard to vote only for party candidates in all elective positions.

The ‘six-piece suit’ call came as a huge relief to party candidates handed direct tickets, and those who won their certificates through competitive nominations.

It is possibly the last nail on the political coffin of those who will be contesting for various seats on tickets for other parties.

Mr Odinga said those who are seeking alternative parties, or going independent are 'enemies of the people' out to divide the region ahead of the elections on August 9.

Mr Odinga asked his supporters to elect only ODM candidates in the election, to ensure a strong government should he win the presidency.

"While I have committed to take the bull by its horns at the national level, I am asking you to vote six-piece for our ODM candidates, from the MCA seats, to the presidency come the General Election, for us to have the required strength," said the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential aspirant. 

Crucial moment

He stated that the country was at a crucial moment where the unity of the Luo community was important, and lashed out at those who are out to divide his backyard along South and Central Nyanza lines.

"We want our people to remain united, because this has remained our strength for years when facing our enemy. It is our only strategy to clinch power at the national level, but this cannot happen when we do not have strength at other levels," said Mr Odinga.

Speaking in his native Dholuo language, Mr Odinga took his supporters through the process of consensus building and how he managed to unite all the aspirants for the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat.

"The aspirants agreed on (Homa Bay woman rep Gladys) Wanga because she is capable of steering the county and is a strong candidate. Those claiming that she is from another county are retrogressive in their thinking," said Mr Odinga.

He was speaking at Kasewe village in Nyasore, Kabondo, at the burial of Kenya’s ambassador to Qatar, Mr Patrick Cornel 'Paddy' Ahenda.

The 70-year-old died on April 4, after suffering heat stroke in Doha.

ODM has been grappling with disgruntlement among some of its supporters over direct tickets being given to some aspirants and its purported failure to conduct credible nomination.

Last week, the party’s elections board suspended the issuance of nomination certificates to winners of the acrimonious party primaries in Homa Bay County until claims of irregularities during the voting are addressed.

The six-piece voting rallying call by Mr Odinga came amidst concerns not only by him but by other politicians and his close allies, including his elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, that should he clinch the presidency, he may face difficulty in running the government due to lack of numerical strength in the bi-cameral House.

"Raila will not run the government effectively if he doesn't have numbers at the National Assembly, Senate and county assemblies," said the East African Legislative Assembly member.

He castigated former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero for ditching the ODM party to vie for the governor’s seat in Homa Bay as an independent candidate.

At the last election, Homa Bay was one of the counties that witnessed a rise in the number of independent candidates after politicians left ODM on claims that they were short-changed during party primaries.

The same is likely to happen this time, and Dr Kidero is leading as an example, with leaders who attended the burial asking the former Mumias Sugar boss to suspend campaigns and back Ms Wanga's candidature.

According to Mr Odinga, Dr Kidero was called for the consensus meeting, but he did not show up. However, Dr Kidero has said he was not called for any consensus meeting.

Ms Wanga challenged the former governor to concede defeat and move on.

She also called for unity among politicians, promising that she would lead by example by working closely with her running mate, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, who for a long time has been her political rival.

Mr Odinga is keen on ensuring that his Nyanza stronghold remains intact and have the region rally behind him as he focuses on the bigger picture, which is the presidency.

He is visiting the region after he brokered a deal that saw Ms Wanga and Mr Magwanga, who were both keen to succeed Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti, agree to run on a joint ticket under the ODM party.

Ms Wanga was given a direct ticket to contest for the governorship, while Mr Magwanga is her running mate.

Voter apathy

Apart from the Ms Wanga endorsement, there has been grumbling over the manner in which the party carried out the nominations for the other elective seats last week, forcing the party’s national elections board to put on hold the results of the nominations in a desperate attempt to avert a falling-out and voter apathy among its supporters, which may deal a blow to Mr Odinga's presidential bid.

An announcement by ODM party last Friday that the results for Thursday's party primaries are interim, has rekindled hope in some aspirants who had lost the party ticket in the primaries.

Further communication is expected from the party, which cited loss of voting kits as the reason for putting on hold the victories and celebration of winners.

Other leaders who attended the funeral were Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju, Mr Awiti, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Governor James Ongwae of Kisii, Mr Awiti 's deputy, Mr Hamilton Orata, Senator Moses Kajwang, Woman Representative Gladys Wanga and Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili.

Also in attendance were MPs Mr Adipo Okuome, (Karachuonyo), Dr James Nyikal (Seme), Sir Charles Ong'ondo Were (Kasipul), Dr Lillian Gogo (Rangwe) Martin Owino (Ndhiwa) and Dr Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) among other dignitaries.