After a painful defeat in Msambweni by-election former prime ministers, Raila Odinga’s, ODM party has gone on to reinvent itself as they will not be doing crowd rallies rather they will be campaigning on the door to door basis in the villages in the slated 4th March Matungu by-election in western Kenya region following Justus Murunga demise.
Former Matungu mp David Were will be flying the party’s flag in the by-election where he is seen as a strong candidate in the contest to become victorious.
ODM party has decided that it will not fill a candidate in the vacant Kabuchai region as a way to focus its goal in Matungu. This also follows in the Nairobi gubernatorial by-election where they withdrew their guns as they will be backing up a jubilee candidate.
Also what comes as a strategy is a working environment for Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC party and Moses Wetangula Ford Kenya who are in a deal to ensure that Raila and deputy president William Ruto do not capture any of the seats in the Western Kenya region.
ANC who had the Matungu seat before is focused on retaining it settling on their candidate Peter Nabudilo as they won’t fill a candidate in Kabuchai where Ford Kenya has their eyes focused.
ODM has fronted Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya who is also the party deputy to lead Were’s campaign on their door to door mission putting a keen on the governor’s influence in the region. Were who was Matungu mp before being thrashed in 2017 by the late ANC candidate had vied on Jubilee ticket after his fallout with Raila’s party.
This will be a keen contest which will test whether ODM’s popularity is still in the region or was fading away.
ODM is also focused on capturing Kiamokama, London and Huruma wards which are vacant.
