A member of the Azimio presidential campaign team had it rough in Siaya town when he was heckled out of the dais during a campaign rally for Orange Democratic Movement candidates.
Siaya governor, Cornel Amoth Rasanga was forced to climb down the dais as members of the public shouted him down, alleging that he was behind the confusion in the ODM primaries that saw Alego – Usonga Member of Parliament, Samuel Atandi and others taken round in circles.
Drama started immediately the Alego – Usonga legislator called the governor to address the rally that was to kick off campaigns in the area after Atandi and East Africa Legislative Assembly member, Dr. Oburu Odinga presented their papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) which gave them a nod to officially campaign for Alego / Usonga parliamentary and Siaya senate seats respectively.
As Rasanga climbed the dais amid Ohangla traditional beats, the crowd started shouting in disapproval that he climbs down.
Initially, he ignored the shouts and continued dancing to the beats of the music as part of the crowd in attendance joined him in the jig.
Matters got worse when the governor, after the Ohangla beats fizzled, told the gathering that he was in attendance at the invitation of the EALA MP, to which the crowd became hostile.
The hostility was to prevail for minutes and not even music interludes and pleas from MP Atandi could calm the situation.
Unable to bear it, a visibly dejected governor handed over the microphone to the Alego / Usonga MP and went to sit in the VIP tent that hosted among other leaders, legislators Aduma Owuor (Nyakach), Otiende Amollo (Rarieda), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem) and Siaya women representative, Dr. Christine Ombaka.
Earlier, the crowd also refused to be addressed by Alego / Usonga ODM chairman, Orwenjo Umidha whom they accused of openly taking sides during the party primaries and joining forces with those who frustrated the area legislator.
Addressing the rally, the leaders present called for peaceful campaigns, adding that voters should forget the differences brought about by the nominations.
Dr. Oburu called on the locals to vote for ODM candidates so as to give Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate, Raila Odinga controlling majority in both houses of parliament.
“We are pleading with our people to keep supporting ODM and should not be confused by the people who are saying that we should just support Raila up there and then down here we can mix. I am telling our people that if you do that, we are going to give Raila a very hard time when he becomes the president of Kenya,” said Dr. Oburu Odinga.
Atandi said they will strive to ensure that ODM scoops all the seats in the county.
