Former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno (Photo/ Standard)
Former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno is facing uncertain political times after losing his seat during the August 8 , 2017 election. His loss was a culmination of protracted political feud with NASA leader Raila Odinga who is the de facto Luo Nyanza political leader.
Otieno who was first elected to Parliament in 1988 on a KANU ticket, was the longest serving Luo Nyanza politician. But after the last general election debacle, his political fate may be as good as sealed.
Despite his name seen as a political brand in the region, the towering Makerere University-trained Economist failed to clinch the ODM ticket during the April 2017 party nominations. Instead, his serial rival Paul Abuor bagged the ticket to settle the matters.
Not losing hope yet, he decided to contest as an independent candidate but it was too little too late as he lost to the ODM man.
The former powerful KANU-era Minister first lost the in the 1992 election. He failed to make a comeback in 1997 and 2002 as he lost to Ochilo Ayacko. However, he recaptured the seat in 2007 on a KANU ticket. And when the coalition government was formed, Raila's ODM reached him and would later become an integral part of the government where he served as Public Service Minister.
He easily defended his seat in 2013 on an ODM ticket. However, his troubles with the party started immediately and was branded a a Jubilee 'mole' amid claims that he was keen to rival Raila. His infamous ' Kalausi' earned him more friends than enemies. Further his close associations with Jubilee undermined his chances of defending the seat.
But in the run to last year's poll, he gravitated back to Raila's side in a bid to shake off the Jubilee mole tag. But it never worked.
It will be the first time in one decade that Otieno will be in the political cold. And with age catching up with him, chances of a political comeback in future are slim.