FACT CHECK: Were Nicholas Gumbo, David Ochieng Attacked at Ugenya Burial?

In pursuit of presenting accurate information to our readers we have come across a video clip being shared on WhatsApp groups with the caption that Engineer Nicholas Odero Gumbo and Ugenya MP David Ochieng (both members of MDG Party) were heckled at a burial in Ugenya on Saturday December 23, 2023.

The facts are as follows. Commotion by a small pocket of youth who were heckling the area MP Mr. David Ochieng was countered, in equal measure, by his supporters. On realising that the popular MP supporters had outnumbered them the pocket of youth reverted to throwing chairs and in the process injuring an elderly woman.

Was a gun fired during the commotion? Our informant is yet to verify this.

According to JT Okinda (Siaya Senatorial aspirant):

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“I happened to have attended the funeral. When I arrived I was ushered to a seat next to Eng. Gumbo who had arrived earlier. Baba and his entourage arrived when the mass was on. After the mass Engineer Gumbo and I crossed over to greet Baba. We then went back to our seats to listen to speeches. When Hon. David Ochieng’ was invited as the host MP to invite leaders, a large contingents of youths migrated from the backside where the party leader was seated and commenced commotion where Ochieng’s core supporters were cheering him on. That’s when hell broke lose and chairs were thrown all round. While I don’t subscribe to rebellion against Baba, it’s not true that David Ochieng’ was heckled out of the funeral.”

A group of disgruntled youth funded by certain politicians are fueling the propaganda that the ground was hostile to Gumbo and Ochieng. If truth be told the opposite was true.

Both remain credible politicians with grassroots support. David Ochieng was the first politician to be elected to the national assembly from Siaya County on a ticket other than the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party.

Like the mythical phoenix, Eng. Nicholas Odero Gumbo has risen again and is eyeing the Rarieda Constituency Parliamentary seat.

Gumbo was the area MP  between 2008 and 2017. At that time he was one of the most significant players in ODM Party being Chairman of the powerful Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC).

Gumbo twice lost the Siaya gubernatorial seat under contestable circumstances and has time and again emerged as the most popular person from political audits conducted in Siaya County. 

With his refined campaign machinery which shook the six constituencies of Siaya it is doubtful whether anyone can stand on his way should he focus his energies on one Constituency in the next General Elections.

Word on the grapevine has it that Wajonya is actively back into elective politics and the bigwigs  at Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party headquarters now have a plausible reason to lose sleep. Nicholas Odero Gumbo is the only politician in Luo Nyanza whom Raila Amollo Odinga has been unable to domesticate. 

At a recent function held at Kandhere Nomiya Church in East Asembo Ward, Gumbo mesmerized the audience with his intricate dancing skills before reminding the audience that the break could be over any time now. The former Rarieda MP was accompanied by ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo and former police spokesperson Charles  Owino Wahongo.

In 2017 it took the High Court in Siaya to determine who had won the gubernatorial race. The margin between Gumbo and Rasanga was a paltry 3000 votes.

In 2022 Gumbo was a runaway favourite to clinch the seat until William Oduol Denge teamed up with Orengo and Raila pronounced the abhorred six-piece voting pattern as a rule in ODM Party enclaves.

Meanwhile, on Saturday December 23, 2023 Rarieda Constituency experienced its first ever free medical eye camp at the Lwak Mission Centre.

Renowned doctors such as Dr Joseph Aluoch, Dr Khama Rogo, Dr Ouma Oluga, Dr Patrick Amoth, Dr Kelly Oluoch, Dr Hezron Omollo and Dr Julius Okel lent their expertise to the event.

The event also saw the participation of other prominent healthcare institutions such as St Jairus, Equity Afia, Kisumu Heart Centre, Kisumu Medical and Education Trust, Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union and Sagam Hospital.

The inaugural camp was sponsored by the Eliud Owalo Foundation.

Political pundits are already seeing the incumbent MP Paul Otiende Amollo having an uphill task against Eng. Gumbo, should he decide to defend his seat. The former has done a good job with allocation of NG-CDF funds, his shelter for widows project and focus on education for development. 

The critical problem for Otiende Amollo now is that when Eng. Nicholas Odero Gumbo arrives not only does the rules of the game itself change, but actually the playing field tilts in his favour. Little wonder they call him Wajonya [ roughly translated the Indomitable].

DalanewsKe will always bring you the real stories on the ground, objectively, as they happen.

Details to follow……….