BY MANUEL ODENY
Rongo MP Paul Abuor has faced political ghosts during the Orange Democratic Movement grassroot polls as his earlier rebellion against the party and tiff with governor Ochillo Ayacko came full cycle.
On Tuesday ahead of polls, it forced the legislators who had earlier rebelled against the party under ‘State House Rebels’ to hire youths carrying crude weapons for him to address a meeting at his designated party offices amid violent clashes.
Business in parts of Rongo Town was paralysed for some time as the legislator function was briefly interrupted.
The legislators’ youths on one hand and those of his rivals especially Nelson Obonyo Adoko whom he had accused of being sponsored by governor Ochillo Ayacko and others aspirants clashed.
Several youths were injured as ODM officials allied to the MP addressed the rally.
But on Wednesday by 3pm, Nyanza News had established that those elected in Town Hall, Kamondi, Kosodo and Nyarach were allied to Rongo ODM chairman Maxwell Orina who is allied to the governor.
“We did a good job in the election despite police intimidation and tension from the legislators, we confirm that those allied to our chairman Maxwel Orina have done a good job not only here, but across the constituency,” Town Hall polling center chairman Charles Ooko Ombuor said.
Joseph Amito and Evans ‘Sise’ Ochieng who were elected as chairman and youth leader respectively at Kamondi polling station said after sensing defeat most of officials allied to Abuor left or never turned up.
“We had tension here not only today, but from yesterday, but we are happy our rivals noticed the ground was hostile when voting was in our favour and left,” John Agutu, chairman of Nyarach center which is only meters from where Abuor and Ruto’s men launched the Nyarach-Ndege Oriedo tarmaced road during his rebellion heyday said.
After President William Ruto was elected, Abuor was among ODM leaders who rebelled and chose to work with Ruto despite warning and fines from the party.
Others were Uriri MP Mark Nyamita, Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, Lang’ata MP Felix ‘Jalang’o’ Oduor and Kisumu senator Tom Ojienda.
Abuor saw his tribulation in the party to have been caused by the governor, a former ally, whom he called out severally in the past for undermining him by having rival ODM party officials and sponsoring his rivals like Adoko and others to unseat him.
On Tuesday while addressing the press after his function was disrupted, Abuor said ODM party was strong in Rongo and those elected on Wednesday will make the party stronger.
“We know Rongo will have peaceful elections, i know this is politics and there is competition but i am sure we will make the party stronger,” he said.
The legislator called on police to ensure the exercise was carried out peacefully.
But Thomas Kwanga, an aspirant called out Abuor for using police to intimidate his rivals and trying to force through his list of officials.
By Tuesday before elections a coalition called ‘Broad Based’ after Ruto and Raila handshake government was formed bringing together all Abuor’s rivals to lock out his list from being elected at grassroots.
“We want to tell Abuor he will not intimidate our team by using police to cause mayhem like he did in the past funeral of our county chairman, we will shape him out of Rongo,” Kwanga said.
