Migori county Woman Rep race has attracted two siblings who will be contesting on different parties.

Nominated MP Dennitah Ghati and her sister Bevin Angela Bhoke have both declared interest in the race. They are both former journalists. 

Ghati won the seat in 2013 but was in 2017 nominated. 

 She has already indicated that she will seek to reclaim the seat held by Pamela Odhiambo, who has since joined the gubernatorial race.  While Ghati intends to run on Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party,  Bhoke has opted for Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) parties.

 Bhoke is a close ally of the DP, while Ghati enjoys good rapport with Raila, who nominated her to Parliament.

  “All aspirants are welcome in the race. The ultimate power rests with the voters who will pick their best candidate,” she said.  Bhoke who was the first to declare  intent to run has already set up a countywide campaign team and activated social media platforms to rally support for her candidature. Her campaign team is being coordinated by Frederick Siengo, one of Ruto’s key campaigners in Migori.

 Ghati was elected in 2013 as part of a negotiated democracy deal meant to accommodate minorities. 

Dr Wilfred Machage, another Kuria, became the first Senator while Okoth Obado was elected governor. Machage was ousted by radio journalist Ben Oluoch Okello.

  However, senator Okello died and was replaced by Dr Ochillo Ayacko. Ayacko is now going for governor.

Growing debate

There has been growing debate that despite being given the Senate and Women Rep seats in 2013 and a nomination to Parliament in 2017, members of the Kuria community did not vote for Raila and ODM. 

Two of the Kuria constituencies voted for Jubilee, producing two MPs on its ticket.  They are Marwa Kitayama(Kuria East) and Mathias Robi(Kuria West). Their association with Jubilee saw ODM field candidates against them and the seats that Ghati and Machage held were all reclaimed.

 They have since shifted allegiance to the Deputy President. Ghati and Bhoke are motivated by the fact Dr Odhiambo will be running for the governorship.

 “I will be going for Woman Rep seat. I am a good communicator and all the companies that contracted me have had no regrets. I feel fit the bill to run for the seat,” said Bhoke.

 Bhoke once worked as communication director with the defunct Commission on Implementation of the Constitution.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Development Communication and masters in  Communications from the University of Nairobi.

 Ambassador Machage says he is yet to decide which seat he will contest. “If am to come back to politics I can only go for the governorship. But that again I am yet to decide,” said Machage, Kenya’s High Commissioner to Nigeria. 

 Besides the Ghatis , others interested in the seat are Sheila Ghati, wife of  veteran journalist Rashid Ronald. Sheila is also the Migori Public Service Executive.

 Also in the race are Rebecca Ghati, Water Executive and business lady, Sophie Dhibra, all from Kuria Community. 

They have all set up Whatsapp digital platform to reach out to the electorate and sell their manifestos. According to Migori ODM branch chairman Philip makabongo, Kuria will benefit if they prove their loyalty to the party.

 Speaking at the weekend, Robi declared that this time, the Abakuria will rally behind the ODM gubernatorial candidate.

Same gesture

 “We will support ODM for governor, but we expect them to reciprocate the same gesture,” said Robi.

 Flouted as the swing vote sub-county, Kuria seeks to re-negotiate for sharing slots. 

 They still want the Woman Rep and deputy governor positions that they have so far held twice. 

  Although, they support ODM for governor post, their loyalty in the presidential contest, is to Ruto, who is and has been their candidate since 2013 when the DP led Jubilee campaigns in the area and galvanised them in Jubilee party.

Migori is  in the former Nyanza Province  in Southwestern Kenya and borders Homa Bay county (North), Kisii (North East), Narok (South East), Tanzania (West and South) and Lake Victoria to the West. 

The 2019 Kenya National Census indicated that  the county had a population of 1,116,436, with 388,633 registered voters and 826 polling stations.  

It has eight constituencies namely Awendo, Kuria East, Kuria West,Nyatike, Rongo, Suna East, Suna West and Uriri.