When Awendo constituency was hived off from the larger Rongo constituency ahead of the 2013 election to end decades of bitter political rivalry between George Ochillo Ayacko and Dalmas Otieno, the battle for the MP seat in the new jurisdiction was expected to go to the wire.
Ochillo Ayacko, an ODM heavyweight was expected to shift his political base to Awendo. And as such, he was a favourite to clinch the seat. However, he decided to remain in Rongo where he served as a lawmaker for 10 years.
Even with Ayacko's absence, the seat was ODM's to lose. However, it was not to be. Little-known high school principal Jared Odhiambo Opiyo was determined to spoil the party for the Raila Odinga-led party.
After losing ODM nominations, Opiyo jumped ship and joined Ford Kenya led by Moses Wetang'ula. Derided for being a "bitter loser", Opiyo had a mission which could not be hampered by his choice of the party.
The March 2013 election produced shocking results as Opiyo who came from nowhere was declared the winner. Despite its dominance, ODM had been handed convincing defeat in its own turf and the giant killer had been ushered into the murky world of politics.
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