The political rivalry between Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama and West Mugirango MP James Gesami has taken a new turn after the latter labelled the former a ‘stranger’ in the ODM party.
The two leaders have been engaging in wrangles after Gesami declared his interest for the county governorship, a rivalry that was addressed by party Leader Raila Odinga during his Friday tour to the county.
And on Sunday, Gesami vowed to be the party’s flag bearer dismissing the Governor as 'a stranger who works with Jubilee to undermine the opposition.'
“I don’t like a situation where a competition is narrowed down to strangers who don’t even understand the party structures. I will protect the interest of my party and I am sure of victory in 2017,” he told this writer.
“The Governor has been working with Jubilee to undermine us here and now he is bending low after he noticed that Jubilee won’t help him. We only deal with loyal people and not moles. He can’t even compete with me and that is a fact,” he added.
Gesami also took another swipe at the Governor saying he played a key role in bringing confusion over the venue in which Mr Odinga was to address supporters on Friday.
“He embarrassed us of Friday by organising another parallel meeting at Nyamaiya rather than the one we had planned at the assembly grounds. We can’t allow such people who are people who are out to disfranchise party supporters,” he said.
But when contacted on Monday morning, the county boss dismissed Gesami's remarks saying he is ready to face off his opponents during the nominations, adding that ODM is not a personal outfit.
"The ODM is a people's party and someone cannot say he/she owns it. It (ODM) gives all candidates equal chance and I am ready for challenge at the nominations with anybody,"stated Nyagarama in a text message to this writer.