mzalendo :: Eye On Kenyan Parliament

By Mzalendo Reporter
*This profile was written before the nominations process was conducted.

During the year 2002 general elections Tuju garnered 15,949 against :”Malo Malo’s” 5,427 and Odindo 94 and the late Odiek Songa’s 367 votes. Malo is touted as one of the most credible challengers to Tuju. He comes from central Asembo just like Engineer Nicholas Gumbo and same as Tuju giving the voters a hard task to decide who among them to be left given that they are all “our sons”.

This is the second time Malo Malo will be making a go for the seat. During the last general elections, he defected from the Narc party and joined the then James Orengo’s fronted Social Democratic Party where came second beating Ford People’s Odindo Adem. However, despite giving free Primary school uniforms, professionals from Rarieda constituency argue that are not ready to elect Malo Malo given that his academic past is questionable. On his part, aspirant Nicholas Gumbo will have lack of finances as his major undoing if money is to decide who becomes the next Rarieda MP. He also has another major political setback; during the LDP, KANU and LPK merger in 2002, youths associated with the aspirant attacked the area voters, who still hold grudges. The voters argue that rather than taking Gumbo to parliament, they should return Tuju. Lawyer Otiende Amollo is also in the race. He comes from Uyoma and his critics argue that he does not have any vision for the constituency. Residents call him a political baby. Your browser may not support display of this image. He has however made inroads into the vast constituency opting to concentrate his votes soliciting quest on women and youth groups as well as churches. The aspirant says that his major vision for the constituency is poverty eradication and fighting illiteracy. He is also financially endowed. He claims that he will change Rarieda for the better as the constituency is endowed with resources and it needs only proper planning and strategy.

The voters are mostly eager to get what the aspirants say regarding the cotton industry that collapsed more than a decade ago, access to loans, the fishing and fruit industries, forestry, water supply and telephone services.

Rarieda will definitely be one of the constituencies to watch as the election draws near.