The ODM party has accused the government of plotting to interfere with the upcoming by-election with an aim of favoring Jubilee Party candidate Zebedeo Opare.
Through its Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen, the party has written to the IEBC claiming that government operatives are using state resources to campaign for Opore.
“We wish to register our complaint with the commission following a series of well-calculated, planned and executed systemic activities by a section of the state’s administrative and security agencies, whose overall import is to adversely influence a free, fair and democratic electoral process,” Ongwen said.
The party has also raised concern with plans to move the constituency tallying centre to Igonga Secondary from Suneka Baraza Hall.
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According to ODM, the move is fishy as stakeholders were not consulted.
“Why the sudden change midstream of an electoral process without consulting the relevant stakeholders in this by-election? It is not lost to us that some of these incidents occurred recently in the Matungu by-election and the commission ignored to act on similar complaints made to it as provided for in law,” Ong'wen divulged.
Speaking to a local daily, Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika dismissed the allegations noting that he attended a meeting in the area but entirely for security reasons.
“I have nothing to do with what they are alleging. It is true I attended the said meeting but it was purely for security reasons and had nothing to do with politics or the impending election… The government gave the area a new division called Riana and an officer posted there. I was there to witness him begin serving the people there officially,” Mutindika said.
ODM has fronted former EPRA boss Pavel Oimeke as its candidate in the election set for May 18, 2021.
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