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Muhoroni MP James K’Oyoo is for the first time experiencing political pressure occasioned by the entry of fresh political players who have joined the race to frustrate his ambitions for a third term. The clamour to send K’Oyoo packing has also seen the return of his 2013 rival former banker Joseph Akal as well as former Kisumu county assembly majority leader Samwel Ongow. The new political field will be completely different from the previous elections given that the incumbent’s perennial fierce rival Ayiecho Olweny has opted for the senatorial position held by Fred Outa. Outa has his eyes trained on the gubernatorial race, telling all and sundry how it would be a walk in the park for him to deconstruct Anyang’ Nyong’o, a man he vigorously campaigned for in the last election. New names in the murky Muhoroni political arena are Omollo Okowa and Kevine Omollo, both hailing from the settlement scheme. The trend saw Omollo mount scanty early political activities but somewhere along the line went silent before Okowa took over through sustained online activities. Okowa is yet to meet his potential voters since he declared his interest in politics and operates from the US with most of his activities being coordinated by his operatives on the ground.
James Onyango K’oyoo
He made his entry through charity gestures under the banner of Okowa Foundation which initially was seen not to be partisan but has now been turned into a political tool ahead of the 2022 general elections. However, despite enjoying heavy financial support from the management of Kibos Sugar Factory, Ongow, is unlikely to be the choice of Muhoroni voters based on a myriad of happenings from the campaigns of the last general elections. His experience in politics did not favour him when he embarrassingly was floored in the Nyangoma/Masonga ward race by a newcomer Habil Nyasuna who emerged victorious at the ODM party primaries. It is also imperative to note that there is existing bad blood between Ongow and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s family. Trouble started when during his time as the Kisumu county majority leader, Ongow belittled Raila and dismissed the Luo kingpin to keep off Kisumu and restrict himself to Siaya politics. It is during that particular time that he literally led a group of rowdy youth who literally stoned Ayiecho at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu which was the host of regional ODM elections which degenerated into violence.
Ayiecho Olweny
Ongow vehemently opposed Ayiecho’s candidature for the chairmanship position and to worsen the situation actively participated in actual physical assault against the former Muhoroni MP and assistant education minister. Ongow is associated with Migori governor Okoth Obado in Luo politics. Question on the ground is how he will maneuver his way to uproot his political teacher at a time he was still smarting himself from the bad experience of losing his ward to a fresh player. But it is an undisputed fact that should Ongow decide to go for his former Masogo/Nyangoma ward seat, then it would be a walk in the park since Nyasuna has performed miserably and voters are not ready for his second term. On the other hand, Ayiecho by virtue of his position as the regional ODM chairman is being prevailed upon to ensure a level playing ground where K’Oyoo is not victimised because of his past political rivalry with Ayiecho. In fact practicing fairness would give him an automatic boost in his quest for the Kisumu senatorial seat as the majority of those supporting K’Oyoo would be forced to cease fire and vote in his favour ostensibly to show solidarity in supporting one of their own. Some political analysts say that it would be tall order for the new crop of politicians to block K’Oyoo’s third term in the office based on development projects seen during his two terms in the office. Through his influence and vast network, the government has embarked on fast-tracking the construction of Sh11 million Rapid Deployment Unit police base at Songhor area, the border of Kisumu and Nandi counties.
Fred Outa
The presence of security personnel in the area is a big relief to residents who have over the years become victims of cattle rustling which has been the major cause of border on and off conflicts between Luo and Nandi communities. It is also imperative to note that through many follow-ups from his office and other leaders, the tarmacking of the 63km Mamboleo, Miwani, Chemelil, Muhoroni, Kipsitet Road has been approved at the cost of a whopping Sh4.9 billion. The government awarded the contract to Sinohydro Corporation in joint venture with Gragab Agencies. Construction of the road is a reprieve for motorists and residents who have endured the deplorable condition of the road. For decades, healthcare, learning, business and investment have been disrupted by transport challenges and many livelihoods lost. K’Oyoo lauded Uhuru Kenyatta for listening to the outcry of citizens. Motorists had avoided the road and opted for the Kericho-Kisumu road, going through Awasi and Ahero. On the academic front K’Oyoo has maintained that all the pupils who secured a direct entry in national secondary schools will be fully sponsored from Form One to Form Four.
Okoth Obado
In addition, he initiated a game changer policy where a special kitty was formed to cater for sponsorship of university students undertaking architecture, medicine, law and engineering. He said over 224 students including 50 selected to join Form One have benefited under the school scheme started in 2014 and fully paid for by CDF. Undoubtedly, his vigorous follow-up on electricity connectivity in all homes has helped boost his political image. His campaign team is capitalising on what has been designed as public participation as mapping out of 27 locations to fix new transformers across the constituency takes place. The incumbent emerged as a vocal crusader for improved services to the cane growers and has repeatedly taken the lead in calling for action against unscrupulous traders importing cheap illegal sugar into the country. Sugarcane growers are laughing all the way to the bank, after the government announced an increase in the price of a tonne of cane delivered from Sh3,700 to Sh4,040 effective April 1 2021. Understandably, it is imminent that K’Oyoo will not face the next elections with the kind of solid support base he enjoyed in the two previous elections after some of his supporters scattered to different camps.
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