Owalo to ODM: If Nyanza is your stronghold, why fear competition?

Former ICT Cabinet Secretary and People Prosperity Party leader Eliud Owalo has taken a swipe at the Orange Democratic Movement over its perceived dominance in Luo Nyanza.

Owalo challenged the broad-based government-aligned party not to fear competition from other political formations in the 2027 General Election if it indeed believes its dominance in the region is unassailable.

The presidential aspirant mocked ODM's push for electoral zoning in Nyanza as a defensive strategy to protect its traditional regional strongholds, describing it as a sign of vulnerability in the face of a level playing field.

"We cannot in this day and age be talking about political enclaves in certain regions, that a certain region is reserved for a given political party. That is inimical to the letter and spirit of multiparty politics," he said.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Thursday night, Owalo said the zoning philosophy, as a safeguard to prevent rival formations from making inroads into certain political bases, was partly to blame for the emerging goon culture as was witnessed last Sunday during Linda Mwananchi's tour of Homa Bay county.

Owalo strongly opposed zoning as a strategy for parties to guarantee themselves victory in competitive elections, insisting on an open and competitive political playing field where parties can field candidates across the country.

He argued that zoning chokes internal democracy, rewards complacency and denies voters their constitutional right to freely choose their leaders.

Owalo said goonism would end once political parties started competing on a level playing field based on issues rather than hero-worshipping.

"Let us allow different political parties to take part in that political space in Nyanza so that the people can choose the best leaders that they want," he said.

According to Owalo, political intolerance has become rife in Nyanza in recent times because most leaders in the region who currently hold office were handpicked by the late party leader Raila Odinga or were elected merely because they were close to him.

"And this is why they are scared of a different political narrative coming from their political opponents on the ground. So they want to zone the region that this is an exclusive zone for ODM; we don't want political competition. Why? If you are popular, why are you afraid of political competition?" he posed.

Owalo said true democracy was where there was a multiplicity of candidates from different parties, from the MCA level to the presidency.

He said parties should let the people elect their leaders based on their individual track records and the agenda they have for the people in their respective manifestos.

"Not for purposes of political expediency, or hero worshipping. The time could not be more ripe, 2027 is the year."