Disturbing questions have cropped up with the realisation on Saturday that Alego-Usonga Constituency Member of Parliament Samuel Onunga Atandi has suddenly blocked two of his closest political confidantes.
While the questions were still floating around Ms Sheila Olwanda whom the MP seconded from his office to work at the County Government headquarters has been wondering what will become of her fate now that the MP has decided to block her. [and yet her secondment to the County Government has not been ratified with an official appointment letter].
Suffering a similar fate is political rapporteur Lydia Akinyi Omuomo (Lydiasmiling) who has been closely associated with the Atandi 2022 General Election campaigns which saw the MP break the logo-dichiel jinx. Both Lydia and Sheila are respectable, well-grounded political strategists in Siaya.
But the latest developments have cast aspersions on why the MP should make an about-turn in what has been a rather lucrative relationship between himself and the two. Asked when this unsolicited acrimony started Ms Sheila Olwanda responded:
“I noticed the MP had blocked me for the first time on the day of the burial of Daggy (Douglas Odero Spoiler).”
Although the financial accounts on collections for the burial of Daggy were never conclusively reconciled, Sheila maintains nobody pocketed any public money.
Why then did Atandi find it prudent to block two of his closest associates at this inopportune time is a puzzle we may not find an answer to.
Right now Sheila and Lydia would simply want to know why the MP is avoiding them. Why has the MP detailed one Peter K’Omalla to frustrate their efforts to communicate with him?
What is the fate of the job interviews they undertook with the Siaya Public Service Board and, above all, are they safe?
The once-youthful Alego-Usonga MP took office in 2017 as an immensely popular politician. Although he did not achieve much in his first term as he was engaged in grandstanding politics inside parliament and playing to the gallery on television breakfast shows, his second term has been full of innovative measures.
For instance, two weeks ago he launched a bursary program through which parents will only be paying KES 2,000 per term as a fee for students in secondary day schools.
Atandi also nurses ambitions of taking a shot at the gubernatorial seat in the future.
Now frustrated with the inexplicable treatment from their boss, Lydiasmiling resignedly said: “He is the politician, we are voters. He will look for us!”
Management Consultant Mr Auscar Odhiambo Wambiya has urged citizens to be careful and avoid being misused by politicians. “Use and damp is a common modus operandi among politicians. It is sad that our sisters now find themselves in such an awkward position. But it’s part of maturing politically.”
Mr Wambiya should know as he held senior positions both in the Alego-Usonga MP office and the Siaya County Government.
Maybe the MP has a right as any private citizen to block anyone they don’t want to communicate with, but Sheila and Lydiasmiling would still want to know why, after all, they’ve been through on his behalf.