The loss of Orange Democratic Movement party (ODM) in the Ugenya and Embakasi South by-elections is a big blow to opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Raila went in person to campaign for ODM candidates in the two constituencies and made the election look like it was about him.
In Ugenya, the bedrock of his political might, Raila told voters not to embarrass him.
Speaking during a funeral in the constituency before poll day, Raila said it would be embarrassing to lose the seat to a candidate he claimed was sponsored by opponents.
Much to his surprise, that is exactly what happened; that candidate he had dismissed went ahead and beat ODM’s Chris Karan.
This means Raila is not as influential as he thought he was.
If it were the yesteryears of Raila, holding a candidate’s hand up high in one political rally was enough for that candidate to carry the day.
This is no longer the case since he lost the 2017 presidential election, and the writing was on the wall during the Migori senatorial by-election race where a 27-year-old young man gave ODM’s battalion sleepless nights.
That David Ochieng of Movement of Democracy and Growth (MDG) beats ODM’s Chris Karan has left Raila and his lieutenants with an egg on their face.
The by-election is a wakeup call to those hanging around Raila that he is no longer having ‘one bullet remaining’; he is now a spent cartridge.
The earlier the hang-on start plotting their own political lives without depending on Raila, the better!
#hivisasaoriginal