The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) fraternity on Saturday dismissed claims by a section of clerics that the party was to blame for low development in the Nyanza region.
ODM Chairman John Mbadi, noted that, neither opposition leader Raila Odinga , nor the party was to blame as the region started undergoing poverty long before the party was formed.
He said that on the contrary, ODM was working to ensure that the Nyanza region is at par with other regions when it comes to development.
Mbadi's view was echoed by Kisumu ODM Coordinator Oyiecho Alweny, who opined that the region was lagging behind because of unfair distribution of resources
"ODM has been around for less than ten years. You can't blame it... the slow pace in development is hinged on funding by the ruling elites," Olweny stated.
Three weeks ago, a section of clergy men from the Nyanza region noted that they do not need Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement party anymore.
According to them, ODM is to blame for the region's woes especially slow and minimal development.
Bishop James Ochiel of the Anglican South Nyanza diocese claimed that, ODM was exercising monopoly in the region since it was the dominant party.
He noted that the Orange party was rewarding allies of the former Premier with nomination certificates, without paying attention to their credentials, a thing that was slowing development in the area.
"Why do we support only one political party? We are not doing very well like the other counties because some leaders were imposed on the people. These leaders know that their loyalty to the party leader, Raila Odinga, is the only thing that will get them re-elected and not development,” said Ochiel as quoted by Standard.