Railas brother, Midiwo defeated in ODM primaries

Nominated Member of Parliament Oburu Odinga may find himself out of elective politics this year after losing Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) Bondo Constituency ticket to incumbent MP Gideon Ochanda.

Oburu – who is the elder brother of ODM party leader Raila Odinga – got paltry 4,000 in the party primaries held Tuesday, April 15.

Ochanda outstripped him by 24, 446 votes, getting 28,446 votes in the exercise.

This loss could be viewed as a second major blow to Oburu’s political career, especially after he was locked out of the 2013 Siaya Gubernatorial race.

Oburu had set his eyes on the county’s top seat, but his hopes were cut sort after ODM gave a direct nomination to his rival Cornel Rasanga.

The former Assistant Minister of Finance is not the first senior politician to be shown the door in the ongoing nominations exercise.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo was also defeated in ODM Siaya nominations by Elisha Odhiambo who garnered 13,400 votes against the incumbent’s 8,900.

Midiwo however claims that the primaries were rigged in favour of Odhiambo.