Zachary Okoth Obado became the first Governor of Migori County after the March 04, 2013 general elections.
He was elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
For over ten years, Nyanza politics has been dominated by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In 2013, Obado stood out because he was the only governor in Nyanza elected outside the Orange Party.
Nyanza has six Counties. All the remaining five governors; Jack Ranguma in Kisumu, Cornell Rasanga in Siaya, Cyprian Awiti in Homa Bay, John Obiero Nyagarama in Nyamira and James Ongwae in Kisii were all elected on the ODM party ticket.
Before the elections, Obado was in fact an ODM member but had to ditch the party due to what he termed as being denied the party certificate despite emerging the winner during nominations.
“I was in ODM up to the nomination process. We were five contestants and I had over 60 per cent of the vote. As a matter of fact, it is the wananchi who felt offended more than I did.
"They told me not come back without a certificate. When I informed them that the ODM one was gone and the only available one was a PDP, their response was that it didn’t matter, as long as I had a valid certificate, they were going to vote for me,” Obado was once quoted by the Standard.
The Governor rejoined ODM ahead of last year’s elections. He won his second term on the Party’s ticket.