'Broad-based leaders are arrogant, don't listen to voters,' Millie Odhiambo on losing Ol Kalou poll

A section of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leaders from Homa Bay County says the outcome of the recently concluded Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election demonstrates that voters cannot be swayed by bribery or intimidation when casting their ballots.

Speaking during a funeral service in Suba North Constituency, National Assembly Minority Whip Millie Odhiambo attributed the UDA loss in the by-election to what she termed arrogance displayed by leaders spearheading the broad-based government's campaign.

“As a founding member of ODM, I cannot allow us to do the wrong things. Yes, I am in the broad-based government, but even within that arrangement, I will always speak the truth,” she said.

“If we had listened to the people, we would not even have lost Ol Kalou. One of the things I have consistently said is that we are taking the public for granted. We have become very arrogant as leaders. We do not listen to the people, and we do not understand what they are going through. People are suffering.”

Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, on his part, said it was time leaders stopped taking voters for granted and instead focused on delivering the promises they made while seeking elective office.

"Government will not be formed through bribery. It will not be formed through goonism. It will not be formed through violence. It will not be formed through force. It will be formed through a clear development agenda,” he said.

“The right development agenda is one that brings Kenyans together. That is the reason why we, in the ODM party, have taken the position that we shall advance the agenda of the broad-based government."