Kisumu Governor to seek re-election as independent candidate

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma gives a speech at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu on January 10, 2017. He will contest for the governorship position as an independent candidate. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The party also withheld Migori governorship results until dispute before appeals tribunal is determined.
  • Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabir lost to Nicholas Odonog Oricho.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) dealt a blow to Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma and its leader Raila Odinga’s brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, after it cancelled their nomination wins.

The party National Elections Board ruled that Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o had won the Kisumu governorship nominations and cancelled a certificate awarded to Governor Ranguma, days after both of them were announced winners by different party officials.

In Bondo, the party said that the current MP Gideon Ochanda had won the ticket, cancelling Dr Oginga’s controversial announcement as winner.

BOTH WINNERS
In far-reaching decisions, the party also withheld Migori governorship results until dispute before appeals tribunal is determined.

Both Governor Okoth Obado and his fiercest challenger Ochilo Ayacko were announced winners and presented with interim certificates.

“Candidates were announcing themselves as winners. But it is the board that has the final powers to declare who the winner is,” the board chair Judy Pareno told journalists at a press conference at a Nairobi hotel.

In the highly-charged primaries in a county where clinching the ODM ticket is as good as winning in the General Election, Mr Ranguma lost to Prof Nyong’o who garnered 164,110 votes against the Governor’s 91,480 according to returning officer Tom Okong’o and hours later, deputy returning officer Richard Kiyondi pronounced Mr Ranguma the winner.

RASANGA VS GUMBO
Immediately after Ms Pareno’s pronouncement, Governor Ranguma told his supporters that he will still be in the ballot on August 8, hinting at his bid to run as an independent candidate.

“You will get another opportunity to express your popular will in an election whose outcome is not predetermined,” Mr Ranguma said in a statement.

In neighbouring Siaya County, an aggrieved Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo is preparing for another round of battle against Governor Cornel Rasanga, who was today declared as the bona fide winner.

County returning officer Joshua Onyona had declared Mr Rasanga winner after garnering 143,446 votes against Mr Gumbo’s 87,467 votes.

“I believe I still have an opportunity to beat him again in the August 8 elections and I will do it,” Mr Gumbo said after the release of the results.

SHABIR LOSES
Meanwhile in Migori, the board showed that Mr Ben Oluoch had won the Senate race with 68,194 votes followed by Mr Gordon Ogolla’s 28,692, who was, like the rest of the cases, announced as winner by another official.

In Suna West, the party has suspended MP Joseph Ndiege’s win.

In Nyatike, the board confirmed unionist Tom Odege winner against incumbent Edick Anyanga.

Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabir lost to Nicholas Odonog Oricho, the party said in its final list of winners.