The nomination of Dr George Jalang’o Midiwo has caused hullabaloo not only in ODM but in Luo Nyanza where Raila Odinga is facing accusations of favoring the larger Odinga family. Some top Luo politicians have been heard murmuring that Mr Odinga ought to have handed that slot to someone from outside Siaya County or to politicians whom he had promised positions in government in the run-up to the last general elections
Barely two weeks after ODM party leader Raila Odinga pushed for the election of his daughter Winnie Odinga as one of Kenya’s representative at the East African Legislative Assembly in Arusha the family is at it, again. Last week, Mr Odinga nominated his cousin Dr George Jalang’o Midiwo to be a member of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA). CRA is an independent agency whose core mandate is to recommend the basis of equitable sharing of revenues raised nationally between the national and county governments.
The nomination of Mr Midiwo has caused hullabaloo not only in ODM but in Luo Nyanza where Raila Odinga is facing accusations of favoring the larger Odinga family. Some top Luo politicians have been heard murmuring that Mr Odinga ought to have handed that slot to someone from outside Siaya County or to politicians whom he had promised positions in government in the run-up to the last general elections.
The Odinga family had pushed for the nomination of Dr George Jalang’o Midiwo as MP for Gem during the ODM party primaries but pressure from the electorate could not allow the family to have their way. Initially, there were plans to give him a direct ticket but they read the writings on the wall clearly, which was against the idea. Current MP Elisha Odhiambo and Mr Midiwo were both subjected to a transparent nomination process where Elisha garnered 7,405 votes against Mr Midiwo’s 6,384 votes
It is being claimed that the Odinga family has manipulated the electoral process and ensured Oburu Odinga was elected the Siaya Senator while Ruth Odinga is the Kisumu Women Rep with Rosemary Odinga now EALA MP. Truphosa Osewe Odinga who is daughter-in-law to Oburu Odinga is the MCA for West Sakwa.
The Odinga family had pushed for the nomination of Mr Midiwo as MP for Gem during the ODM party primaries but pressure from the electorate could not allow the family to have their way. Initially, there were plans to give him a direct ticket but they read the writings on the wall clearly, which was clearly against the idea. Current MP Elisha Odhiambo and Mr Midiwo were both subjected to a transparent nomination process where Elisha garnered 7,405 votes against Mr Midiwo’s 6,384 votes. Midiwo was later to appeal against Elisha’s win citing violence and irregularities and to his surprise, the tribunal sitting in Kisumu upheld Elisha’s victory.
The CRA commission had advertised positions and urged Kenyans to apply. On Friday, November 25, 2022, the clerks of both the Senate and the National Assembly announced that 139 applicants in the senate and 37 applicants in the national assembly had applied for the position. Mr Midiwo together with other appointees is now expected to go through the vetting process upon which they will be formally appointed by the president.
