To many, he is one of the most brilliant politicians in the entire Luo Nyanza politics. His struggles in Nyanza's cut-throat competitive political arena have, however, left him as a spectator. Former Rangwe MP Shem Ochuodho is one of the most 'wasted political brains' in the entire region.
When Nyanza politics was undergoing evolution in the 1990s, Dr.Ochuodho swept to a clean victory in 1997 while vying on Raila Odinga-led NDP party. However, his independent-mindedness is said to have sealed his fate.
It is claimed that he was rigged during the 2002 NARC nominations. And in 2007, he suffered the same fate in ODM. Since then, his political differences with Raila have played out.
To Raila's supporters, he is a rebel, the claims he denies. To him, his differences with the former Prime Minister are ideological not personal.
"I have been having ideological differences with Mr. Odinga and this has been taken as a rebellion by a section of his supporters," he was once quoted by Nation.
The IT guru and the author of Dawn of the Rainbow, The Untold Intrigues of Kenya's First Coalition Government ( 2012) briefly worked for Kenya Pipeline Corporation after losing his MP seat in 2002.
He later worked for Rwandan and South Sudanese governments as IT and communications adviser and consultant.
With his political future doomed, Dr. Ochuodho's impact in Nyanza's political scene is missed.