The Suba community should support one candidate to contest for Homa Bay governorship, Senator Moses Kajwang' has said.
“We need to talk and produce a single candidate for the 2022 Homa Bay governor seat. Numbers are not on our side hence we should change the approach,” Kajwang' said on Friday.
Kajwang' and Suba South MP John Mbadi have both declared interest in the seat. Businessman Sammy Wakiaga who contested in the 2017 polls is likely to make a comeback.
The lawmaker said he would want leaders from the community to unite behind one person and consolidate their votes. He spoke during the funeral of former councillor Obong’o Owich in Lambwe ward, Suba North.
Kajwang' said politicians from the community have been reading from different scripts since the death of his brother Otieno Kajwang.
Suba politicians such as Caroli Omond, a former aide to ex-PM Raila Odinga, and former NSSF boss Fred Rabongo have been critical of Mbadi and Kajwang' since 2015.
Caroli ran against Mbadi while Rabongo competed with Kajwang' in 2017 elections.
On Friday, Kajwang warned Suba politicians against continuing with their personal and vested interests as 2022 politics draw closer.
“Let’s us break away from the election patterns which we have had in both 2013 and 2017 polls. Suba community has very able people who can make good governor but only if they unite,” he added.
Last week, Mbadi asked residents to disregard clan politics and elect a person who can transform Homa Bay county.
He said that Homa Bay has not realised much progress under the leadership of Governor Cyprian Awiti.
“Don’t be swayed by clan politics because it doesn’t necessarily translate into good governance. I come from a small community and can have the interest of this county at heart that one from a bigger clan,” Mbadi said.
The Suba are a minority in the Luo-dominated Homa Bay county. The community dominates Suba South and Suba North constituencies whose total votes are about 104,000.
Ahead of the 2013 General Election, Homa Bay politicians allegedly agreed to divide the county into three major regions to enable them to share power. The regions are Rachuonyo, Homa Bay and Suba.
Rachuonyo has Kasipul, Karachuonyo and Kabondo Kasipul constituencies and 191,000 votes.
Homa Bay has Rangwe, Homa Bay Town and Ndhiwa constituencies and 187,000 votes.
Aspirants who have declared interests to succeed Awiti from Homa Bay region are Orata, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Woman MP Gladys Wanga, county secretary Isaiah Ogwe and businessman Jared Kiasa.
In Rachuonyo, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, Finance executive Nicholas K’Oriko and Kuppet secretary Akelo Misori have declared interest in the top seat.