Kenya`s Raila Odinga bows out of the race for the vacant Homa Bay Senate seat

Opposition leader Raila Odinga bowed out of the race for the vacant Homa Bay Senate seat despite pressure by some of his confidants and Luo elders to contest the by-election set for February.Kenya's PM Odinga attends the silver Jubilee lecture in Lagos Nigeria
Mr Odinga called a press conference yesterday to announce he had “reluctantly” decided to turn down an offer from the people of Homa Bay due to pressing party and national engagements.

“I know that this decision I am making is going to disappoint very many people on the ground. But it is in the best interest of our party at the moment,” Mr Odinga said.

But the Nation established that Mr Odinga decided not to run following pressure from some members of his family, who reasoned that the idea was ill-conceived and bound to lead him to political doom.

The decision came just a day after Mr Odinga hosted over 200 elders and MPs at his rural Opoda home to discuss the seat. The discussion was publicly billed as one where Homa Bay elders and the general Luo leadership gathered to request Mr Odinga to go for the seat left vacant after the death of Senator Otieno Kajwang’.

However, there is evidence that it was the former Prime Minister who hosted the talks with the aim of declaring his interest and seeking endorsement.

The Sunday meeting was to plan Mr Odinga’s public announcement of his candidature for Homa Bay senator on Thursday, but it generated angry responses in the county where he is viewed as an outsider.

Hostility on the ground, including from some MPs, ODM leaders, and local elders, could have forced Mr Odinga to beat a retreat and bring forward to yesterday his announcement rejecting the “offer” instead of waiting till Thursday to declare he was in the race.

Mr Odinga had earlier sent mixed signals. He had separately met some prospective candidates and encouraged them to go ahead and vie. He was also telling those who privately sought his comments that he had no intention of running, but at the same time was directly mobilising, personally and through a network of aides, politicians and elders, the “Draft Raila” campaign.

After the meeting at his home, Mr Odinga later summoned senior Luo leaders, who had silently opposed the idea, to a meeting at the Jaramogi Oginga Foundation headquarters.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Senators James Orengo (Siaya) and Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu) met Mr Odinga before the decision to withdraw from the race was reached.
Said Mr Odinga: “I will, therefore, have to let down the elders of Homa Bay and the MPs who showed faith in me for the Senate seat.”
Mr Odinga said the offer to contest the seat came at a time when he had embarked on revamping ODM. He asked those who wanted him to run to look at the bigger picture and allow him to focus on national issues.

He said: “Please allow me concentrate, on your behalf, on creating a party machine and a Cord coalition partnership that can keep the government in check.”

The Cord leaders said the ODM will nominate the most suitable candidate for the Homa Bay seat.
“Now I am not in the race and I hope that the remaining candidates will campaign and the party will nominate the best. We will first consider consensus,” he said.

He explained that consensus might be necessary due to the unfavourable December 19 nomination deadline set by the Electoral Commission.

New ODM chairman John Mbadi, Nyando MP Fred Outa and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed were also present.
Mr Odinga also paraded four of the declared candidates, his personal assistant Silas Jakakimba, former Rangwe MP Philip Okundi, former NSSF managing trustee Fred Rabongo and the Mr Kajwang’s younger brother, Moses Kajwang.

He said he had held talks with the four and agreed that they will support the eventual party nominee.

The former PM told journalists that they had agreed to work together with Dr Kidero, often seen as a party rebel.
Dr Kidero thanked Mr Odinga for his decision to step out of the race.

“I know that his decision not to run is going to be accepted with a lot of reluctance from the people of Homa Bay. The people will be very unhappy that the former PM has declined to contest”, Dr Kidero said.

The Nairobi governor disowned an earlier statement dispatched by his Director of Communication Walter Mongare, that had him rejecting a request to accompany Mr Odinga to Homa Bay on Thursday.

“The Governor of Nairobi City County has declined a request from the Luo Council of Elders to accompany Raila Odinga to Homa Bay on Thursday this week to declare his candidature in Hom Bay. I acknowledge the request for my presence but I am not available,” read the stamen by Mr Mongare.

The four aspirants hailed Mr Odinga for his decision saying it was consistent with the wishes of the voters on the ground.

“We are happy that he has decided to decline the request.We are glad he has listened to voices of our people,” said Mr Jakakimba.

Mr Rabongo said: “I take this with relief because I was considering pulling out when calls to have him run became consistent.”-AfricaMetro

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