Between O.D.M and State House lies Justice Kwatch

BY JEFF OTIENO AGUKO
 
The prevailing political mood in Kenya shows that O.D.M whose Presidential flag bearer is Raila Odinga, is just but a thread distance to clinch the Presidency in the forth coming polls.
 
Pundits and critics are overwhelmingly convinced that the O.D.M brigade under the command of Raila Odinga have done what it takes in terms of ground work to make them bag the seat from the incumbent President Mwai Kibaki who has apparently woken from slumber to try and counter the euphoric scenario courtesy of recent opinion polls which put him trailing Raila by a wider margin.
 
But investigations by this journalist can today reveal that if the no nonsense respected retired appellate judge justice Richard Otieno Kwatch who is the Chairman of Election Board (a body tasked with the responsibility of carrying the party’s nomination exercise) will not be left alone to carry the exercise with sobriety and integrity in order to favour certain unscrupulous and opportunistic clique of politicians, then Raila’s quest of being the Kenya’s Fourth President will remain a piped dream to the chagrin of his supporters and admirers.
 
Sources within the O.D.M fraternity confided to this writer that currently there is a senior pentagon official who is conspiring with some of his favourite cronies immediate former MPs that he had been mandated by the party’s top echelon to prevail upon some candidates to support some of the besieged former MPs under the e aegis that he was doing the same with the blessing of Raila Odinga.
 
The scheme is well entrenched and co-ordinated and in about a week from now, formidable rivals of the said unpopular MPs will be coerced by the cartel to succumb not to contest the respective seats.
 
Early this week text messages perceived to be part of the plot was unleashed against the formidable aspiring candidates alleging that their loyalty towards O.D.M were questionable, the propaganda didn’t sale courtesy of members of the public who now appears sensitized.
 
The seemingly well oiled scheme is targeting pragmatic resilient and industrious Alego Usonga parliamentary Hopeful Edwin Ochieng Yinda who has tightened the political noose of the current MP Sammy Weya, polished Karachuonyo aspirant former influential PS Eng. James Rege who is giving Adhu Awiti sleepless nights, Kisumu Advocate and Raila Odinga die hard Olago Aluoch who has apparently sealed the fate of bulky MP Rev. Ken Nyagudi.
 
Others are Dr. Shem Ochuodho former Managing Director Kenya Pipeline who has confined ageing Philip Okundi, Ochieng Daima Kisumu business tycoon who has apparently determined the fate of former Assistant Minster Peter Odoyo in Nyakach and wealthy Nairobi based lawyer Ambrose Rachier who is on Jakoyo Midiwo’s neck in Gem Constituency.
 
In order to avert fallout, despondency and voter apathy, Justice Kwatch should exhibit fairness and transparency in the entire exercise or else history will judge him harshly for having been a stumbling block for Raila to clinch the seat after several years of sustained struggle.
 
So far all pentagon members like Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi, Najib Balala, Joe Nyaga, William Ruto and Charity Ngilu have been given automatic tickets.
 
Some strong pedestrian talks also has it that the secretary General Anyang Nyong’o and the treasurer Omingo Magara have also been quietly given the automatic certificates.
 
Critics of ODM argue that the party is popular in the ground and therefore they should have emulated O.D.M - K which has got no room for sacred individuals which is a clear show of Kenya’s embryonic democracy flourishing.
 
END