LUOS ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE KSHS 3.5 BILLION TO RAILA'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN KITY

12/20/2006
GRANTS WECHE MOKADHO AGAJA KUYO BARUPE WECHE DONGRUOK MBAKA NONRO JEXJALUO NGECHE LUO GI GWENG' THUM TEDO LUO KITGI GI TIMBEGI SIGENDNI LUO THUOND WECHE ;	Kisumu 19-12-2006 LUOS ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE KSHS 3.5 BILLION TO RAILA'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN KITY By Leo Odera Omolo Raila Amolo Odinga presidential campaign kitty requires a colossal total amount of Kshs 5 billion,it has been authoritatively revealed. Out of this amount a total of kshs 1.5 billion would be spent in his bid to clinch the ODM-K presidential ticket and thereafter the colossal sums of kshs 3.5 billon would be required during the presidential campaign in the election n proper. This was revealed during a crucial meeting attended by Luo MPs and all aspirants for the various parliamentary seats in Luo-Nyanza.The meeting was held at the Methodist Guest House in Lavington, Nairobi on Saturday evening. It was attended by close to 300 senior politicians and professionals from Nyanza Province. Another meeting of similar nature would be held in Kisumu City during the first week of January 2007. It was further revealed that the Raila campaign for the ODM-K presidential ticket has already consumed close to Kshs 200million and much more would be required to enable "Agwambo" to beat his rivals for the ODM-k presidential ticket. The meeting was held under the twin outspices of Raila Odinga Center (ROC) and the Luo Council of Elders .The participants were invited by way of short SMS messages sent by Mr.David Arunga who is Raila's Personal Assistant .Contained therein the messages were that the office of the ROC and that of Chairman Meshak Riaga Ogalo of the Luo Council of Elders would like to meet all the MPs and all the aspirants within a short notice. The terse meeting degenerated to a serious confrontation between the aspirants and the sitting MPs which almost turned into names calling exercises and before Raila's arrival at the venue of the meeting ,three incumbent MPs Zaddock Syong'o (Gwassi),Sammy Weya (Alego Usonga) and Prof.Patrick Ayiecho Olueny(Muhoroni) had asked the electorate to give the incumbent MPs who are serving for the first term another chance to enable them qualify for Parliamentary pension , a request which was out rightly rejected by the aspirants. The MPs argument that they were better placed to campaign for Raila at the national level as opposed to the aspirants whom they described as political novices who are inexperienced at national politics met stiff opposition from the aspirants who demanded a level playing ground for all players. In a brief address Raila vowed to keep off parliamentary nominations and promised a free and fair race saying that this time around he would never impose any candidate on the electorate, the remarks which many observers of Luo politics dismissed as mere public relations exercise. The participants resolved to carry out Raila's presidential campaign within and out side Luo Nyanza.They vowed to approach the electorate from the neighbouring communities to support their candidate (Raila) in his presidential bid. Several names were floated at the meeting of those who would be charged to form the campaign fund raising committee. They included those of the sitting MPs Joshua Orwa Ojode(Ndhiwa),Eng.Phillip Okundi (Rangwe) Eng.Eric Opon Nyamunga (Nyando).Others included several businessmen and parliamentary aspirants Eng.Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda),Polycarp Ocholla (Muhoroni),Dr.Antony Were (Kasipul Kabondo),Eng.James Rege (Karachuonyo) a Kisumu businessman Ochieng Daima (Nyakatch),Prof Larry Gumbe (ODM-K secretariat) and an aspirant in Kisumu Town West constituency,Prof.Anyang Nyong'o (Kisumu Rural) ,Benard Omondi (Uriri) According to a source, Raila Odinga was severally warned against collaborating with politicians scheming to derail his close political associates and trusted lieutenants claiming they are allied to some rival political parties. Aspirants however resolved to hold peaceful campaign rallies to avoid mudslinging politics and campaign violence in Luo Nyanza. The new parliamentary hopefuls were advised to exercise some kind of special respect towards the sitting MPs and support them until the end of their parliamentary term.The advice came from Ker Meshak Riaga Ogalo the chairman of the Luo council of Elders who was the joint convenor with the ROC. Some of the aspirants who had the opportunity to address the gathering vowed to support Raila presidential bid, but at the same time they demanded that the party nominations be conducted by persons with integrity unlike the 2002 LDP nominations headed by former East African Legislative assembly member Ochieng Mbeo which was shrouded by massive rigging and bribery. The rigging exercises enabled unpopular individuals to enter Parliamentary from back door and this has remained a source of the discontent inside Luo-Nyanza through out the life of the current Ninth Parliament. This time around the participants wanted to ensure that the popular candidate wins the right way. Some of the participants pledged to donate cash money to Raila campaign kitty. The Pledges ranging from kshs 100,000, 200,000, 300,000 and 500,000. Other aspirants however have questioned the role played by the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders if the issue was purely an ODM-K matter and they dismissed the meeting as money collection affairs because other ODM-K luminaries were not included. They expressed fear that the deliberations of such meetings could be mistaken to mean tribalism being exercised by member of the Luo community within the ODM-K The appeal to the Luos to support Raila would be made to community members locally and in the diaspora. Ends leooderaomolo@yahoo.com The writer is LUOCOME REPORTER based in Kisumu. We urge all LUOCOME members with pressing issues pertaining to media and press releases to kindly contact him from any where in world. He will assist you to get true picture of your Village Developement. LUOCOME-MEDIA ===================================================== Joluo.com Ka in gi mari moro ma di wandik ka to orni Akelo nyar Kager, jaluo@jaluo.com Daher winjo dwondi in bende, iwinjo?	IDWARO TICH? GALAMORO : Riwruok mar JOLUO e Piny Ngima, orwaku uduto mondo ubed e kanyakla mar burani. Ornwa nyingi gi nondi kaka obedo. Riwruok e teko joka Nyanam. WENDO MIWA PARO OD PAKRUOK

                              Kisumu
                              19-12-2006

LUOS ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE KSHS 3.5 BILLION TO RAILA'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN KITY

By Leo Odera Omolo

Raila Amolo Odinga presidential campaign kitty requires a colossal total
amount of Kshs 5 billion,it has been authoritatively revealed.

Out of this amount a total of kshs 1.5 billion would be spent in his bid to
clinch the ODM-K presidential ticket and thereafter the colossal sums of kshs
3.5 billon would be required during the presidential campaign in the election n
proper.

This was revealed during a crucial meeting attended by Luo MPs and all
aspirants for the various parliamentary seats in Luo-Nyanza.The meeting was held at the Methodist Guest House in Lavington, Nairobi on Saturday evening. It was attended by close to 300 senior politicians and professionals from Nyanza Province.

Another meeting of similar nature would be held in Kisumu City during the
first week of January 2007.

It was further revealed that the Raila campaign   for the ODM-K presidential
ticket has already consumed close to Kshs 200million and much more would be required to enable "Agwambo" to beat his rivals for the ODM-k presidential ticket.

The meeting was held under the twin outspices of Raila Odinga Center (ROC) and the Luo Council of Elders .The participants were invited by way of short SMS messages sent by Mr.David Arunga who is Raila's Personal Assistant .Contained therein the messages were that the office of the ROC and that of Chairman Meshak Riaga Ogalo of the Luo Council of Elders would like to meet all the MPs and all the aspirants within a short notice.

The terse meeting degenerated to a serious confrontation between the aspirants and the sitting MPs which almost turned into names calling exercises and before Raila's arrival at the venue of the meeting ,three incumbent MPs Zaddock Syong'o (Gwassi),Sammy Weya (Alego Usonga) and Prof.Patrick Ayiecho Olueny(Muhoroni) had asked the electorate to give the incumbent MPs who are serving for the first term another chance to enable them qualify for Parliamentary pension , a request which was out rightly rejected by the aspirants.

The MPs argument that they were better placed to campaign for Raila at the
national level as opposed to the aspirants whom they described as political
novices who are inexperienced at national politics met stiff opposition from the
aspirants who demanded a level playing ground for all players.

In a brief address Raila vowed to keep off parliamentary nominations and
promised a free and fair race saying that this time around he would never impose any candidate on the electorate, the remarks which many observers of Luo politics dismissed as mere public relations exercise.

The participants resolved to carry out Raila's presidential campaign within
and out side Luo Nyanza.They vowed to approach the electorate from the
neighbouring communities to support their candidate (Raila) in his presidential bid.

Several names were floated at the meeting of those who would be charged to
form the campaign fund raising committee. They included those of the sitting MPs Joshua Orwa Ojode(Ndhiwa),Eng.Phillip Okundi (Rangwe) Eng.Eric Opon Nyamunga (Nyando).Others included several businessmen and parliamentary aspirants Eng.Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda),Polycarp Ocholla (Muhoroni),Dr.Antony Were (Kasipul Kabondo),Eng.James Rege (Karachuonyo) a Kisumu businessman Ochieng Daima (Nyakatch),Prof Larry Gumbe (ODM-K secretariat) and an aspirant in Kisumu Town West constituency,Prof.Anyang Nyong'o (Kisumu Rural) ,Benard Omondi (Uriri)

According to a source, Raila Odinga was severally warned against collaborating with politicians scheming to derail his close political associates and trusted lieutenants claiming they are allied to some rival political parties.

Aspirants however resolved to hold peaceful campaign rallies to avoid
mudslinging politics and campaign violence in Luo Nyanza.

The new parliamentary hopefuls were advised to exercise some kind of special respect towards the sitting MPs and support them until the end of their
parliamentary term.The advice came from Ker Meshak Riaga Ogalo the chairman of the Luo council of Elders who was the joint convenor with the ROC.

Some of the aspirants who had the opportunity to address the gathering vowed to support Raila presidential bid, but at the same time they demanded that the party nominations be conducted by persons with integrity unlike the 2002 LDP nominations headed by former East African Legislative assembly member Ochieng Mbeo which was shrouded by massive rigging and bribery.

The rigging exercises enabled unpopular individuals to enter Parliamentary
from back door and this has remained a source of the discontent inside
Luo-Nyanza through out the life of the current Ninth Parliament. This time
around the participants wanted to ensure that the popular candidate wins the
right way.

Some of the participants pledged to donate cash money to Raila campaign kitty. The Pledges ranging from kshs 100,000, 200,000,   300,000 and 500,000.

Other aspirants however have questioned the role played by the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders if the issue was purely an ODM-K matter and they dismissed the meeting as money collection affairs because other ODM-K luminaries were not included. They expressed fear that the deliberations of such meetings could be mistaken to mean tribalism being exercised by member of the Luo community within the ODM-K

The appeal to the Luos to support Raila would be made to community members locally and in the diaspora.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

The writer is LUOCOME REPORTER based in Kisumu. We urge all LUOCOME members with pressing issues pertaining to media and press releases to kindly contact him from any where in world. He will assist you to get true picture of your Village Developement.
LUOCOME-MEDIA