Battle for Alego-Usonga Constituency Takes Interesting Turn

The battle for West Alego is on. A little bird tells me that West Alego is often the swing-vote Ward for capturing Alego-Usonga Constituency. What West Alego decides its sibling Usonga follows without serious questioning.

In the backdrop of all these is the impending grassroots elections for the Orange Democratic Movement ODM Party.

This morning Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Onunga Atandi will grace an Education Day function at Rasugu Primary School where he is expected to make his usually weird promises about waiving school fees for secondary school day scholars and so on and so forth.

The little bird tells me that all Bodaboda riders heading to the function can fuel for free at a petrol pump in Mwer Market (2km away) to the tune of KES 200, courtesy of someone called Edwin Odhiambo (who has an interest in the Parliamentary seat). That is a boon for the transport industry in this hard times but as I’ve often said, this is one of the ways that cannot be used to unseat the incumbent MP.

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Simple logic: if you fuel a lot of motorbikes to your opponents function you are empowering them to attend in large numbers so that they can be properly indoctrinated. Someone doesn’t know what they are doing here, but that’s not my problem.

My problem is that this time round the battle for Alego-Usonga is drawing more than necessary attraction. During a breakfast program on a vernacular radio station the Chief Officer for Youth affairs Dr Kut Ochogo affirmed that come September 2026 he will tender in his resignation in readiness to have another shot at the coveted trophy.

One of the good doctor’s ardent followers who doesn’t belong to a WhatsApp group is 69-year-old  Gaudencia Nyamol from Magombe village in Kaugagi Hawinga (West Alego) and she confirms with a lisp that if he comes back, her vote will be given to Puth Kochogo (whoever that is).

Dr. Kut still reminiscences about the KES 11 million he lost in the last elections. If he is not sponsored again by the business magnate who bankrolled him last time, he stands no chance. But if the business magnate himself offers himself as a candidate then the whole tone of this hypothesis would change.

For now, neighbours Revocutus Muhula and Washington Omondi Muluan preparing to take a shot at the trophy is another story doing the rounds but as I once said, I hail from a long linage of sages and with time we’ve learnt that anyone who can beat you at daytime can easily do so again at night!

Between now and then, if the northern part of Alego-Usonga does not produce a strong candidate that leaves the new kid on the block Edwin Odhiambo (south) with Samuel Onunga Atandi (north).

Here are the match statistics: Atandi has won two General Elections, legitimately, and if miscalculation and avarice do not not override judgement and he defends his seat, he stands a better chance. Fueling motorbikes and buying quarter kilo sugar for voters is not a bad thing but I have the impression this boy is in the contest for the sake of introductions.

Well, as I often say, that’s not my problem. My problem is that while people are looking at the other direction nobody is asking what Wuod Nyamrembo CPA Dr. William Oduol Denge is up to.

Here is a man who would be incumbent trophy holder if he had not been seconded to the team that eventually won the governorship.

 Here is a highly competent professional, accomplished political strategist and a man who has proven to be able to wither the storm of mischief and betrayal that characterizes Siaya politics.

Here is a man whose claims of endemic corruption in the Siaya County Government have since been vindicated. [You can see this from the Kenao auditors report of 2022/23 and the EACC pronouncements on the 12 files. If you have a short memory check out the internal auditors payroll report. The jury is now out there].

But Dr. William Oduol Denge has not said that he is interested in the Alego-Usonga Constituency Parliamentary seat. 

Has he?

Well the battle is on and whatever direction it takes this time round it promises to be long, bruising and fatal. Political destinies will be made and broken this time round.

The little bird tells me that only CPA Dr. William Oduol Denge has the clout, connectivity and networking to make Atandi see dust.

Sangwenyas out there say: chesa!

DalanewsKe 

Editorial Friday 17 May, 2024