During the last elections the fallout between Elisha Odhiambo and Governor Orengo was so big to the extent that Elisha’s supporters vowed to support the UDM’s gubernatorial candidate Nicholas Gumbo as revenge against Mr Orengo for frustrating their man. True to their words, when results finally came in for Gem sub County, Mr Gumbo had garnered 33,163 votes against Orengo’s 29,276 votes
Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo is facing a barrage of accusations with many people in Siaya County blaming him for the devastating defeat ODM party suffered in the recently held by-election in South Gem Ward. Impeccable sources revealed to The Weekly Vision how the MP declined to campaign for the ODM candidate. He allegedly told his allies in secret that the South Gem by-election was a pre-trial of the 2027 gubernatorial duel that will see him contest against Governor James Orengo.
It is no longer a secret that the two, Mr Orengo and Elisha Odhiambo are no longer friends after they fell out during the last ODM nominations in which the governor openly and publicly campaigned against Elisha. Mr Orengo is said to have been the force behind the candidature of Dr. Jalang’o Midiwo during the party nominations. It became a back and forth affair where Elisha was issued with a certificate on two different occasions and withdrawn after Mr Orengo allegedly used his influence within the ODM’s elections board to have Elisha’s certificate revoked.
The fallout between them was so big to the extent that Elisha’s supporters vowed to support the UDM’s gubernatorial candidate Nicholas Gumbo as revenge against Mr Orengo for frustrating their man. True to their words, when results finally came in for Gem sub County, Mr Gumbo had garnered 33,163 votes against Orengo’s 29,276 votes.
According to sources well versed with the region’s politics, Elisha is being accused of having told his supporters to vote for the independent Brian Ochieng Obiero who went on to garner 3,469 votes while his closest competitor Polycarp Wanga of ODM managed 3,353 votes. The results shocked Siaya Governor James Orengo, Senator Oburu Odinga and Women Representative Christine Ombaka who had led the campaigns for the ODM candidate.
Brian Obiero’s win now brings to four the number of MCAs elected on a non-ODM party, which dominates the political landscape in the county. The MCAs for West Yimbo, North Gem, and East Asembo Wards were all elected as Independent, Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) and United Democratic Movement (UDM) party tickets respectively.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) suspended the election for the MCA seat following the death of ODM candidate Nick Wanga in July this year. Others who contested included independent candidate Christopher Ouma who got 21 votes, UDM party’s David Audi got 20 votes and CPK party’s Enock Okinyi Okech came last with 11 votes. Kenneth Omolo of Jubilee Party came in a distant third with 321 votes followed by MDG party’s Bernard Ondego who got 67 votes, independent candidate David Nyang’un managed 44 votes and LDP’s John Adino got 35 votes.
