A senior politician leaning towards the opposition donated millions during the Ugenya by-election as the race became tough for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Chris Karan.
According to the Standard, close to Sh1.6m of the money donated was unaccounted for.
“The money was donated to cater for food and transport for ODM agents but it cannot be accounted for. We don’t know whether it reached the agents,” politician involved in the campaigns told the paper.
The politician said such issues like mismanaging campaigns is one reason why ODM was left with a painful loss.
The party's candidate Chris Karan was defeated by David Ochieng of little known Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG).
Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda also blamed Karan for failing to take charge of his campaigns and instead left it to 'party-hawks'.
“Karan was not in charge of his campaigns and with other people being in charge, it appeared uncoordinated. The 2022 succession politics made some leaders give the ODM campaigns a wide berth and these also divided leaders, making them stay away,” Ochanda said.
Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga was also faulted for threatening voters with development if they do not vote for ODM's candidate.
Rasanga is said to have told residents that they will not get development from the county government if ODM candidate loses.