The impending Migori senatorial by-election has set a stage for altercations within the Orange Democratic Movement.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado has fired the first salvo accusing the party of allegedly being undemocratic, after handing the nomination certificate to former Rongo MP Ochillo Ayacko in what was decided by the party’s National Elections Board in a boardroom deal.
While asking Migori residents to defy Raila and elect a senator of their choice, Obado who has had altercations with the party in the past, claimed that the move undermines democracy as it creates a bad culture of imposing leaders on the electorate.
"We will not allow two or three people to sit in Nairobi and handpick for us a candidate," Obado charged as he set the altercation in motion.
But in a quick re-battle, ODM Chairman John Mbadi told off the Governor even as he warned him against going contrary to the wishes of the party leader, Raila Odinga.
According to Mbadi, Obado has no moral authority to lament over the decision to hand over the certificate to Ayacko as other aspirants had respected the decision.
"This was a unilateral decision made by the party's rank and file. Obado is an ODM Governor. It is unbelievable what he said. It means he has no respect to our party leader," Mbadi, the party's national chairman was quoted by the Standard.
With these attacks and counterattacks within the ODM ranks, it remains to be seen whether Raila will step in to ease the emerging tensions.