The Directorate of criminal investigation (DCI) has called for the immediate arrest of embattled Kisumu City manager Mr. Abala Wanga for masterminding deadly violence witnessed during the recently held by-elections in South Gem ward, Siaya County, where ODM suffered a resounding defeat.
Investigations by the regional DCI sleuths positively link Wanga to the violence and his file has been fowarded to the office of Directorate of public prosecution(DPP) for actions. The confidant of ODM leader Raila Odinga and Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o was behind the violence which saw several vehicles pelted with stones, others torched and scores injured following the fracas that was initiated by his goons.
Two criminals associated with Wanga have already been arraigned in court over the violence that marred the South Gem ward by-election which was held two weeks ago.
Siaya Police Commander Michael Muchiri said the two goons were arrested at the Kambere polling station while in a car that was ferrying crude weapons to polling stations.
It’s believed that sycophants of the ODM party planned the chaos after sensing defeat in an area considered their stronghold but increasingly electing independent candidates.
Independent candidate Brian Achieng emerged the winner of the hotly contested South Gem seat after he garnered 3,569 votes, trouncing ODM’s Polycarp Wanga and seven other candidates.
The seat remained vacant after IEBC suspended the election for the MCA following the death of ODM candidate Nick Wanga in July this year. The seat was initially held by David Audi before the August 9 elections. Audi also won the seat in 2017 after beating ODM’s Peter Lolwe with 9,329 votes against 2,988.
IEBC data shows that South Gem has a total of 18,560 registered voters. All candidates traversed the ward in a bid to sell their agendas to the electorates with the ODM candidate enjoying the backing of party brigade led by Siaya Governor James Orengo who camped in the ward to drum up his support.
Achieng becomes the fourth MCAs elected on a non-ODM party ticket in an area beleived to be dominated by the Orange party. Siaya County has 30 wards and MCAs for West Yimbo, North Gem, and East Asembo wards were elected on independent, Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) and United Democratic Movement (UDM) party tickets respectively.
