Former Police Spokesman Charles Owino has withdrawn from the Siaya gubernatorial race where he was running on a joint United Democratic Movement (UDM) ticket with former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.

The former police boss has rejoined the Police Service and will serve as the Director of the Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons. Owino’s exit now leaves Gumbo, who is touted as a frontrunner in the race that pits him against Siaya Senator James Orengo, without a running mate.

Owino’s exit also comes against the backdrop of the May 16th 2022 deadline, which was set for gubernatorial candidates to submit names of their deputies to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

UDM’s Secretary-General David Ohito has since revealed that IEBC has granted the Azimio affiliate a 24-hour window to submit the name of Gumbo’s new running mate.

“UDM Party has received and accepted Charles Owino’s withdrawal as the running mate of Nicholas Gumbo in the Siaya gubernatorial contest,” Ohito told a local publication.

Owino, Gumbo ditched ODM for UDM

Before the recent development, Gumbo and the former police spokesman were seeking the Siaya governorship on a United Democratic Movement (UDM) ticket.

The duo joined UDM from Raila’s ODM party after the political outfit handed Siaya Senator James Orengo a direct ticket for the governor’s seat.

Speaking after their exodus from the Orange Party, Gumbo, a former National Assembly Public Accounts Chairman, said local politics forced him out of the Raila Odinga-led party but affirmed he will support the ODM leader’s presidential bid.

“I can say without any fear of contradiction, that coming together of the two of us has consolidated the votes for Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate because three-quarters of the registered voters in Siaya are behind because combined we have a strong command,” Gumbo told a press conference at Prosperity House, the headquarters for UDM.