Dalmas, Ayacko political wars back ahead of 2022 – Weekly Citizen

Pressure is mounting in Migori county as the race for the highly coveted gubernatorial position intensifies with mixed reactions over who should gun for the top slot when the incumbent Okoth Obado’s term comes to an end in 2022.

Dalmus Otieno

Opinion is divided among Migori residents with a group in the county feeling that the ODM high command should give Dalmas Otieno a direct ticket with the same being done for Senator Ochillo Ayacko for him to retain his position come 2022. Otieno and Ayacko have been archrivals with clashes between their supporters turning out to be bloody. The two former cabinet ministers who have been political archrivals have already declared their interest for the gubernatorial positions in Migori county in the next general election, hence setting the stage for a tension-packed contest in the two counties. The two have previously also served as MP of Rongo constituency. The two prominent politicians were rivals battling for supremacy until Otieno rejoined ODM, enabling him to outsmart Ayacko, and reclaimed the parliamentary seat until 2017 when he was replaced by a newcomer Paul Abuor.

Ochillo Ayacko

Others who have shown interest in the seat are Migori county secretary Christopher Rusana, immediate former Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga and former Migori MP John Pesa among other little known politicians. It is also being said that Suna East legislator Junnet Mohammed may also be in the race for that position but he has not declared it openly. Mohamed has of late cut a niche for himself in parliament as the minority whip has also been a darling of ODM leader, Raila Odinga and the party high command. Otieno has an upper hand being a prominent personality and with vast experience having served in previous governments in cabinet positions. Ayacko will be banking on his closeness to Raila come 2022. He hails from the Sakwa clan where Raila comes from and used the same to clinch the senate position upon the death of the holder of the position, journalist Ben Okello.

John Pesa

Obado edged Ayacko during ODM primaries following intense fireworks in the entire area. Apart from Anyanga and Ayacko, the other leaders who are reportedly eyeing Obado’s seat is Uriri MP Mark Nyamita Obado has in recent times termed as propaganda reports that he has settled on a candidate who will succeed him in the 2022 election. The governor says he is busy working on his legacy and had no time to discuss who will become the Migori governor. The reports emerged after a meeting between the governor and two former MPs namely, Omondi Anyanga (Nyatike) and John K’obado (Uriri) at his Rapogi home. The governor admitted the two leaders visited him but said succession politics was never part of the agenda. When asked about the meeting, Anyanga remained cagey, saying they talked about development matters.

Paul Abuor

The former Nyatike MP who has declared his interest in the seat has of late become one of the fiercest defenders of the governor against perceived political attacks. Anyanga recently cautioned leaders against using lies to discredit the county boss and instead urged elected leaders to unite in serving the people. Nonetheless, leaders allied to Senator Ayacko’s camp have said those defending Obado are playing sycophantic politics to get the governor’s attention. Ayacko, however, says no one is abusing Obado, noting that what they do is to ensure equitable distribution of resources. Obado who won the seat in 2013 using a PDP ticket had later decamped and joined ODM.
He appeared before the ODM’s disciplinary committee after being linked to the chaos that rocked Migori during ODM deputy party leader Hassan Joho’s visit of the county, resulting in the shooting and injuring of the Mombasa county chief’s bodyguard.

Edick Anyanga

Trouble ensued when hooligans, believed to be Obado supporters, stormed the function, disrupting the proceedings. It was alleged that hooligans allied to Obado unleashed the chaos effectively sending the rally into disarray. Obado is said to have been angered by the move by party leaders led by Joho to open the party offices in the county occupied by a team loyal to Ayacko. The party disciplinary committee fined Obado Sh2 million but he has since appealed against the decision. Earlier, after the 2013 polls, Obado of the People’s Democratic Party lost his seat after the Court of Appeal in Kisumu nullified his election. In the judgment read by Justice Onyango Otieno, the court stated that the results were marred by grave errors and as such, it was not clear who won the March 4, 2013, election. The court indicated that owing to this, the final results in a number of polling stations were inconsistent. ODM candidate Edward Oyugi had moved to Court of Appeal after the Homa Bay High Court threw out his petition. The Appeal Court ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to hold a by-election.