Malava ODM delegates conned by officials
ODM Malava delegates meeting ended up in disarray after a section of the cash meant to facilitate their transport mysteriously disappeared in the hands of the branch chairman and part of his inner circle officials
The ODM meeting which was attended by the county chairman who is also the Kakamega governor Fernandez Barasa started on a high tone where the delegates drawn from all the 7 wards pledged to support the broad based government set up already instituted by both President William Ruto and the late Raila Odinga as part of uniting the nation.
The meeting that also saw the delegates pledge their support for the UDA candidate David Ndakwa vying for the Malava seat in the November 27th by election, and which was attended by the Presidential aide Farouk Kibet turned ugly after the leaving of the dignitaries and after the ODM county chairman announced that each delegate would be given Ksh.1,000 as lunch and fare.
Upon their leaving,the ODM Malava office held a press briefing to air their resolutions of the meeting and their intention to support the broad based government in preparation to the 2032 William Ruto 2nd term bid.
Hell broke loose when the dishing out of the said cash commenced with each ward through it’s chairman being awarded the total sum of the cash meant to sort out his team.
Mugai shirugu ward which was the last to be cashed got a rude shock after it emerged that ther was no enough money to settle all the delegates present respectively.
The chairman Meshack Were could not establish how the fundsKsh.20,000 got lost pointing fingers at each other as his other officials denied any knowledge over the same.
The tension at the Friends church was heightened even further after indiduals purporting to be from other wards was heightened after they also demanded to be financed as they were ODM supporters.
As by the time we went to press we confirmed from the ward chairman of Shirugu Mugai that they had called for a crisis in door meeting to deliberate on what happened and how they will raise the cash for the delegates who missed out.
Earlier during the meeting the (ODM)county chairman announced that the party was backing Raila’s pledge to stay in government so as to have sufficient development and many other benefits.
Barasa lauded the efforts the Malava ODM delegation displayed during the 1st September 2025,Iguhu meeting which was meant to shortchange his candidature outcome in favour of his opponent but they stood with him throughout the process.
He said he was committed to ensuring the ODM presence in the county was visible through opening of it’s offices in each of the 12 subcounties within the county.
He praised Raila for his push for inclusivity to all Kenyans that brought peace through the handshake and maintained that he will steeer the ODM county to follow suit.
Barasa stressed the need to support President William Ruto development agenda of uniting all Kenyans.
He further reassured the Malava delegates that they will have a special sitting with the President once the by election are over.
He rubbished the recent undoings by cooperative cabinet secretary Wycliffe Oparanya for planning cheer leaders to amplify his superiority when the President was visiting Western region recently terming it a show of poor leadership meant to massage his own ego at the expense of the Kakamega residents
“Oparanya has failed to showcase his prowess as formidable CS and his popularity is dwindling very fast than he thought and he is now a shell of his own self as far as the county political arena is concerned.”
He called on him to emulate Musalia Mudavadi who has displayed exemplary leadership skills as a nationalist unlike the likes of Oparanya who were out to seek forced publicity and recognition.
Barasa said he has engaged the government to chip in and see the completion of Bukhungu stadium,and level 6 hospital that had stalled despite the KSh.2.6BIllion being pumped into the health facility.
He maintained that he was ready to work and support President William Ruto empowerment programs within the county ahead of the total inclusion of the broad based government into the government by 2027.
