Migori speaker Boaz Okoth has promised to surprise those rubbishing his bid for the county's governorship in next year's elections.
Many have dismissed Okoth as a political lightweight but the county assembly boss says they should expect a miracle.
Okoth said he knows he will be facing political bigwigs in the race to replace Governor Okoth Obado. Obado is serving his second and final term that ends in August next year.
“I know I have been overlooked by others in the governor politics, but I am a man who will give a miracle when I will send political old guards and heavyweights home,” Okoth said.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed on January 23 said Okoth's win would be a miracle. Junet spoke during the burial of former Ndhiwa MP Owigo Olang’ in Sori, Nyatike constituency.
“Junet called my bid a miracle, but I took it positively because across my political career I have survived on miracles as I always took on heavyweights,” Okoth said.
The speaker is a close ally of Obado. He is currently battling graft charges at the Kisumu anti-corruption court.
The race to succeed Obado has so far attracted 10 other aspirants including Senator Ochillo Ayacko, Woman Representative Pamela Odhiambo, former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno, former Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga and former Migori MP John Pesa.
US-based don Prof Mark Ogutu, Migori county secretary Christopher Rusana, businessmen Seth Odongo, Philip Mwabe and Owiso Ngao are also in the race.
Okoth has already met former MCAs to shore up his support base while also courting current ward representatives to marshal backing at the grassroots.
Speaking to the Star in his office on Monday, the speaker said he was confident of flooring big guns in the election.
During the 2013 elections, Okoth won the North Kadem MCA seat on the Agano Party following shambolic ODM nominations.
He went against the grain with ODM and parties allied to the then Cord alliance having been favoured by the electorate.
“My rivals ensured I was locked out of all Cord affiliated parties, but I was still elected by a miracle and I ended up convincing majority of ODM colleagues to elect me the deputy speaker,” Okoth said.
He served as the substantive speaker from 2015 following the impeachment of the county assembly's first speaker Gordon Ogola.
Okoth says Obado has placed a development foundation in Migori which he will easily build on to put the county into the path for socio-economic recovery.
“We will not have an outsider come in as a governor to disrupt what we have already built. I will work on this strength to make Migori successful,” he said.
Ayacko, Dalmas, Pamela and Pesa have all been traversing the county to popularise their respective bids.
Migori has eight constituencies including Nyatike, Uriri, Awendo, Rongo, Suna East, Suna West, Kuria West and Kuria East.
Edited by P.O
