Kakamega Governor, Fernandes Barasa, has been named the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) County Chairperson after the grassroots elections that took place at the Kenya Medical Training College campus in Ikolmani.
Felix Ngala, the Returning Officer, along with party officials led by Violet Ananda, announced Barasa the winner of the day. In his reply, the Governor promised to make the party “visible and vibrant” in Kakamega with an emphasis on making the ODM win the 2027 general election by getting majority seats.
He also went on to reveal his cabinet, stating Likuyani MP Innocent Mugabe as the Coordinating Secretary. Nonetheless, the elections experienced rioting and several members exiting, revealing the antagonism amongst the county party leadership.
The Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera’s supporters, who were also going for the seat, dismissed the elections as a sham and walked out of the venue. Flanked by 5 legislators, Nabwera had by then organized a different meeting at a nearby public ground where his delegates declared him the county chairperson.
The disputed elections that later escalated into clashes were initially postponed last week. The events of the day were further delayed for several hours before the parallel declarations were made, leaving ODM in Kakamega deeply divided.
On the other hand, Ndia MP George Kariuki of Nyeri County addressed the Mt Kenya region at a conference in Sagana urging the area not to fall into the trap set by “visionless” leaders. He further requested the region to rally behind leaders with clear strategies for development and unity ahead of the 2027 polls.
