Politicians eyeing various seats as independent candidates in Siaya County have called on political party leaders to respect the rights of Kenyans to elect representatives of their choice during the forthcoming general election.
Led by Siaya senatorial hopeful Julius Okinda and Mrs. Mildred Ogogo, the independent candidates said both the government and top political parties’ bosses must be prepared to work with leaders that they would be given by the electorate.
Speaking in Siaya town, the politicians condemned calls for zoning the country along party lines saying that this was negating the democratic deals that Kenya stood for.
“Let there be no effort to select leaders for the Kenyan people. This will not work, especially for the Siaya people,” said Okinda who added that he was forced to seek election as an independent candidate after the Orange Democratic Movement party discreetly issued a direct ticket to East Africa legislative Assembly member Dr. Oburu Odinga.
Okinda said Siaya residents’ target this year was to make a difference in their lives by ensuring that only able and democratically elected leaders hold the various positions.
Their remarks were echoed by Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party leader David Ochieng who said that zoning and calls for six- piece voting pattern being advocated by ODM leaders would dampen the locals’ spirits and affect the turn out during the August 9 general election.
Ochieng who spoke in Ugenya said that none of the 140 candidates sponsored by MDG to vie for various positions countrywide would step down for anybody.
“None will be affected by zoning. All our 140 candidates will go to the ballot on August 9, 2022,” said Ochieng adding that calls for zoning were hurting the Raila Odinga presidential campaigns.
