ODM Party National Chairperson John Mbadi has thrown his weight behind Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga in her bid to clinch the Homa-Bay gubernatorial seat.
The race has narrowed down to a fierce battle pitting Wanga against former Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero.
Mbadi was among those angling for the governorship but bowed out of the race following a party consensus meeting early this year. He had thereafter declared that he would not be involved in the county politics in any way.
On Wednesday however, while addressing a women’s convention in Homa-Bay town, Mbadi declared that he will be supporting Wanga as the next Governor alongside every ODM candidate in Homa Bay County.
“I will dedicate all my energies and political skills behind Gladys Wanga’s bid to ensure that Nyanza region begets its first elected female governor,” stated Mbadi.
Mbadi explained that his stepping down from the race had been in line with the party leader, Raila Odinga’s agenda to push for women leadership in Nyanza. “It was not easy to drop out from the race but I had to sacrifice my ambition so that Nyanza region gets the first female governor,” explained Mbadi.
The Suba South Member of Parliament (MP) also recanted his previous statements that termed six-piece voting as an outdated practice. He said he was now urging Homa Bay residents to vote only for candidates who were awarded ODM tickets in the August elections.
“Other regions have no ODM candidates because they are strongholds of other parties and it is in this spirit that I urge residents within Homa Bay, Siaya, Migori and Kisumu counties to embrace six-piece voting in the August elections,” he said.
Earlier this month while speaking at Sindo market within the county, the lawmaker had encouraged voters to elect their choice of leaders from any party within the Azimio umbrella saying that all the 26 parties within the coalition deserved equal rights.
He had further eluded that voting outside ODM would give the residents the opportunity to vote out underperforming leaders who take advantage of the party’s popularity in the region.
Mbadi also called on Homa Bay residents during the convention to vote back and vote in female candidates as a way of ensuring the party adheres to the 2/3 gender rule.
On her part, Wanga expressed her joy in the unison ODM leaders had displayed by coming together in support of the party’s candidates for various positions.
The convention that was attended by NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua who is Odinga’s running mate, brought together MPs from all the eight constituencies in Homa Bay, the county senator, MCAs as well as the party’s candidates for the August elections.
