Imran Okoth's strategy thet delivered him the ODM party ticket in Kibra to face off with DP Ruto-backed McDonald Mariga

Details of the secret intrigues, deals and fall-out in battle for ODM ticket in Kibra

Charles Ouma

September 8, 2019 9:44 AM

The stakes were so high, leading to a fall-out as deals backfired and democracy prevailed

Raila Odinga addressing Kibra residents

Details have emerged of the behind-the-scenes intrigues in ODM party that saw Bernard Okoth floor his rivals for the Kibra constituency ODM ticket.

So high were the stakes that the party’s organizing Secretary in Kibra resigned in protest.

Sigar Agumba lamented that he arrived at the decision after noting with concern that the party “does not support home-grown leaders”.

A senior party official however revealed that Agumba resigned in disappointment after his efforts to convince the party leadership to hand him the party ticket in a boardroom arrangement hit a snag.

Raila Odinga, Rosemary Odinga with Sigar Agumba Pulse Live Kenya

After being heckeled off the stage at an ODM rally organized by party leader Rala Odinga, many wrote off Imran, judging by the hostile reception.

Public opinion was swayed in favour of his opponents who mounted an elaborate campaign with long convoys and backed by established politicians.

Moses Kuria storms Kibra to campaign for ODM candidate, badly attacks Mariga [Video] Pulse Live Kenya

Among them is Benson Musungu who stormed Kibra in the company of Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, sending shock-waves across te constituency.

However, following the embarrassment he suffered on 25 August, Imran resorted to door to door campaign in which he addressed the concerns of the electorates.

Among these concerns was bitterness with some blaming him for denying the constituents an opportunity to give Ken Okoth a befitting send off after he colluded with his widow to secretly create him.

Some of the electorates he interacted with confirmed that he went a step further and apologized to those he may have offended with the decision to cremate his brother, stating that he was only doing what the deceased had instructed.

Imran Okoth it is-ODM decides in Kibra Pulse Live Kenya

Imran also explained that he was the engine behind Ken Okoth’s success, managing the constituency at a time when his brother was hospitalized in France.

His efforts eventually paid off as he floored ten opponents to clinch te ticket, setting the stage for an epic clash with Jubilee’s McDonald Mariga who is backed by DP Ruto.

Charles Ouma