Siaya, Sept. 12 — Siaya gubernatorial candidate David Ochieng took his campaign into Bondo on Saturday, meeting teachers in Bar Kowino and using the platform to tear into rival Nicholas Gumbo over what he called an about-turn back into ODM’s fold.
Ochieng accused Gumbo of going back on his word by “begging” for ODM’s backing ahead of the 2027 polls, framing the move as evidence that his rival lacks the independent standing to lead the county on his own terms.
The Ugenya MP reiterated that he is fully prepared to campaign for the Siaya seat, and win it, without the backing of the ODM machinery, and even against it if necessary. He pointed to his own political history in Ugenya as proof it could be done, recalling how the ODM machinery, including party leader Raila Odinga at the time, campaigned against him in past elections and still failed to unseat him, a defeat he attributed to the strength of his development agenda on the ground.
The Bondo outreach marks an expansion of Ochieng’s campaign beyond his Ugenya base, signalling an attempt to build support across Siaya’s other sub-regions as the succession race, triggered by Governor James Orengo’s decision not to seek re-election, continues to reshape alliances within and outside ODM.