From: Leo Odera Omolo
  Kisumu
  07/08/07
  leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
 
LUO COUNCIL OF ELDERS LEADER TOLD TO KEEP OFF FROM ALEGO – USONGA ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

By Arrum Tidi.

Residents of Alego – Usonga Constituency have issued a stern warning to the chairman of the Moribund Luo Council of Elders to desist forthwith from bad habit of interfering in the internal politics of the Constituency.

‘Ker’ Meshack Riaga Ogalo should concentrate on promoting Luo culture and unity of the community as a whole, but must stop taking sides on the on – going campaign for the Alego – Usonga seat.

The residents were reacting on unconfirmed reports that ‘Ker’ Riaga Ogalo had held a public rally in Siaya Township and declared his Council’s support for one of the Parliamentary hopefuls in the area, Mr. Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda a former KANU stalwart and operative.

Reports making the round alleged that Yinda, a perennial election loser in Alego – Usonga, had hired the services of ‘Ker’ Riaga Ogalo, whom he invited for luncheon in his Ng’iya home near Siaya town.

Yinda, a Mombasa-based business tycoon, who is eyeing the Alego-Usonga seat, for many years was a KANU torchbearer and operative in Siaya. His previous attempt to clinch the seat had failed miserably. In one such numerous attempts, his campaign was marred with bloody violence in which a number of youths were suspected to have lost their lives.

The forthcoming general election would be his third unsuccessful attempt to wrestle the seat from the former incumbent, Peter Castro Oloo Aringo who had represented the Constituency for 22 years.

Late last month, according to impeccable sources in Siaya Town, Yinda had invited ‘Ker’ Riaga Ogalo to come to Siaya and drum up support for him. He later lavishly entertained the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders to luncheon in his Ng’iya home.

In his address, ‘Ker’ Ogalo had pleaded with a small crowd of people who had gathered in an open ground near the offices of the County Council of Siaya to forgive their prodigal sons back to the mainstream of the Luo politics.

These remarks were interrupted by the electorate as being to meant that an attempt on the part of the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders, who is also known to be aligned to the LDP / ODM – K, to popularize Mr. Yinda to the disadvantage of other aspirants who include the incumbent Hon. George Weya.

A number of aspirants for the Alego – Usonga seat have cautioned the Luo elder to exercise his dirty politics in his Kasipul-Kabondo home turf, but not to extend elsewhere because that is not his mandate.

"He should stop poking his nose in Alego-Usonga politics, after all he has no value added ideas to sell in the area. He should stop being petty and hired to come and intimidate other aspirants", retorted one civic leader who requested for his anonymity.

The Alego – Usonga seat has attracted close to twenty new aspirants. They include a prominent Kisumu City hotelier Mr. Charles Odunga Mamba, the proprietor of the popular public joint ‘Mamba Hotel’, a prominent businessman in Nairobi, Kisumu and Siaya Mr. Nicholas Rajula, Peter Oloo Aringo who is a nominated Narc MP in the ninth parliament is also said to be rearing to run to recapture his old seat in which he had such for the last 22 years.

Samy Weya, the incumbent has also vowed to defend his seat. There are several Nairobi based lawyers in the race as well as several University professors and doctors.

Mr. Yinda, a perennial election loser, is said to be making desperate attempts to win the hearts of ODM-K supporters within the Constituency. But his efforts are meeting stiff resistance from LDP – ODM-K followers, who are still insisting that he is still a KANU operative.

The recent attempt by Yinda, by inviting the Luo cultural and tradition leader to Siaya, has provoked sharp reaction from the locals, who saw malice in the process.

‘Ker’ Ogalo has been told to stick to cultural and tradition mission without practising biased politics. He has been told to remain neutral and as respected cultural leader and to stop being used as a political hireling and mercenary!!

Ends.