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The battle for Muhoroni parliamentary seat in Kisumu has started to hot up with young politicians set to wrestle with old hands in the contest.

James Onyango K’Oyoo will be seeking re-election for a second time but new entrants are expected to give him sleepless nights.

Top contenders include Samuel Omolo, a cancer researcher, American-based special education teacher Omulo Okowa, Kisumu businessman Otieno Mc’Obewa, Uzima University deputy vice-chancellor Finance and Administration Joe Okal and former Masogo-Nyang’oma Ward Rep Samuel Ong’ow.

All the candidates are expected to fight for the dominant Orange Democratic Movement party ticket. 

Oliech who hails from Koru/Muhoroni Ward is a first time entrant riding on his wealth of experience saying he intends to restore Muhoroni’s lost glory.

Oliech charges that by fixing infrastructure and pursuing a transformative agenda he can better the lives of the residents of the sugar belt constituency.

“Muhoroni is a very wealthy constituency; it just needs a small jab to revive the lost glory. You do not have to pump money into Muhoroni.

What we need is system approach to social engineering. People are desperate; they feel that nothing is going on in Muhoroni. We must change this first,” said Oliech.

He said that his main aim will be to have 80 per cent of roads in the constituency tarmacked, provision of clean water, and construction of technical colleges including, a school that teaches sugar technology.

Oliech has donated Moser laboratory equipment in 22 high schools in the constituency, put some 89 students on full scholarship under Oliech Omolo foundation built three clean water projects and invested in sports through talent development.

“We the youth 36 years and below are the majority yet most oppressed. We must engage our young people and I believe in youth leadership.

We must complete the Koru-Soin Dam urgently, triple our education bursary kitty to Sh100 million and open it for everyone and mostly the needy,” said Oliech.

 Okowa, from the Muhoroni sub-location, and who has not been in Kenya for 29 years accuses his competitors of ineptitude.

He says his main focus will be the tarmacking of roads, setting up of technical training colleges, provision of electricity and health facilities.

“Muhoroni is a great place and with so much untapped potential- both human and natural. Muhoroni needs a competent leader with the capacity to push the people’s agenda.

I will dwell on my competitor’s ineptitude,” said Okowa on phone from US.