Embattled Siaya governor Cornel Rasanga last week shocked the Amoth Owira family when he skipped the burial of his step-mother Sofia Amoth. Sources say Rasanga had confided that he cannot share a dais with Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and gubernatorial candidate William Oduol. Although Rasanga thought Jakoyo would attend, it was only Oduol who attended the burial ceremony. On the evening of the funeral and after the larger Amoth family got wind Rasanga would not attend the funeral, the funeral committee chaired by Erick Amoth unanimously agreed that Rasanga be refunded his Sh50,000 contribution towards the funeral. The committee mandated George Amoth to send back the Sh50,000 plus Sh275 withdrawal fee to Rasanga. The M-Pesa transaction confirmation “JGP6RX8FE4 Confirmed. Ksh50,275 sent to Cornel Amoth 07227 on 25/7/15 at 4.32 PM”. According to family sources, the Amoth family had suspected that the Sh50,000 he contributed could have been from the Siaya county government coffers and they did not want the family to be subjected to unnecessary audit queries which would put the family’s name in disrepute. Some committee members were heard saying that Rasanga wanted to fix the children of Sofia whom he claims have no time for him as they campaigned for his rival Oduol during the 2013 elections. As Oduol left the home after delivering his condolences and as he was being escorted to his car by George, some drunk and rowdy youths attempted to heckle him as they demanded that he should declare that he will support Rasanga in 2017 which he declined. They were repulsed and chased out of the home on George’s instruction. Rasanga later confided in his allies that his brothers and sisters are working closely with Oduol and Jakoyo and Siaya senator James Orengo to cut short his political career. He is known to brag that he has pocketed majority of Siaya MCAs whom he gives handsomely weekly stipends. The 2017 Siaya gubernatorial race is expected to produce political fireworks after Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo joined the race. It is not however clear if Orengo and Midiwo will support Gumbo or Oduol but going by the political developments, Oduol is most likely to fly the ODM flag in 2017. What however is clear is the fact that nominated MP Oburu Odinga is not in their arithmetic. Reports indicate that Oburu is contemplating running for the Bondo parliamentary seat currently held by Gideon Ochanda. Ochanda is also said to have shown interest in the gubernatorial seat but analysts have laughed off his candidature as a joke of the year. Of all the Siaya county MPs, it is only Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi who is in Rasanga’s camp. In Rarieda, Collins Oyuu who is the Rarieda Knut executive secretary is gaining ground and making inroads in the constituency. There have been concerns over the way Sh52 million which was allocated by the county government to host Obama in Kogelo was spent.
Citizen