Ugunja, Siaya County — September 27, 2025
What began as an internally fraught ODM primary in Ugunja has escalated into a full-blown political crisis. The party’s declared nominee, Moses Okoth Omondi, who was announced winner after nominations on September 26, now carries a ticket that many in Ugunja say is stained by voter ferrying, ballot manipulation and organised violence. Those allegations — coupled with new claims that a high-profile meeting at Namsagali Resort planned how to secure the outcome — reinforce a chilling pattern: instead of restoring its democratic credentials, ODM has once again squandered a chance to show it can run free and fair internal polls.
Official congratulations amid a storm of controversy
No sooner had Returning Officer Felix Ngala announced Omondi’s victory than high-ranking ODM leaders rushed to endorse him. In a statement, Siaya Governor James Orengo declared:
“Congratulations to Moses Okoth Omondi on his well-deserved win in Ugunja Constituency and nomination as our ODM candidate for the Nov 27 by-election. I have no doubt that ODM will deliver a resounding victory!”
The governor’s upbeat message, however, stands in stark contrast to the grim reality reported across Ugunja: bloody clashes, allegations of ballot-stuffing, and systematic intimidation. For many residents, the leadership’s celebration feels tone-deaf, as though the official narrative has airbrushed the chaos that marred the exercise.
The most violent incidents were reported at Nyati and Rang’ala polling centres. Joseph Alur’s bodyguard (former MCA Eng. Odawa) was shot at Nyati, while ZB Owino’s bodyguard, Edwin Odidi, was viciously hacked with pangas and rungus at Rang’ala, left fighting for his life at Homeland Hospital. Eyewitnesses say the attackers arrived in convoys, their targets clearly identified, suggesting orchestration rather than random scuffles.
Namsagali Resort: the alleged war room of rigging
New allegations claim that a meeting at Namsagali Resort on the eve of the primaries, chaired by CS Opiyo Wandayi, served as a command centre for rigging. A communique circulating among activists names dozens of attendees — from local operatives to known political bloggers — accused of plotting chaos, importing goons from Alego, Gem, Musanda, Ugenya and Kisumu, and overseeing ballot-printing in a Ugunja cybercafé.
Though unverified by independent authorities, the allegations are precise enough — naming individuals and locations — that they demand urgent investigation. For critics, they reinforce the widespread perception that Omondi is not a grassroots victor but a “project candidate” imposed by powerful backers.
Voter ferrying and intimidation: a well-oiled machine
Independent civil monitors documented widespread voter ferrying, with minibuses shuttling groups from one polling centre to another. At several stations, rival agents were chased off or cowed into silence by gangs loyal to Omondi’s camp. “We couldn’t even raise objections. Every attempt was met with threats,” one agent told our desk.
Police: overwhelmed, unwilling or compromised?
Perhaps the darkest shadow falls on local police. Residents say they know the attackers by name — yet no arrests have followed. Whether due to incapacity, intimidation, or quiet collusion, law enforcement’s failure to act has left communities convinced the violence was state-sanctioned.
ODM has long promised internal democracy, but Ugunja exposes the gap between rhetoric and practice. Past primaries in Migori, Homa Bay and Kisumu have been marred by similar scenes of violence and manipulation. This was the party’s chance to redeem itself; instead, it doubled down on impunity.
Governor Orengo’s congratulatory message captures the party establishment’s mood: focus on the November by-election, celebrate victory, and move on. But for residents of Ugunja — with injured bodyguards, shattered polling stations and lingering fear — the cost of this nomination is already too high.
Unless ODM addresses these allegations with transparency — by probing the Namsagali meeting, auditing ballots, and holding perpetrators accountable — its candidate may win the November 27 by-election on paper, but the legitimacy of that victory will remain forever in question.
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