Former MPs Dalmas Otieno, John Pesa among 7 in race for Migori Senatorial seat

Seven candidates are set to battle it out for the Migori Senatorial seat in a much anticipated election scheduled for October 8, 2018.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Senator Ben Oluoch Okello who succumbed to throat cancer on June 19, 2018, at the MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi.

Among the seven include former Rongo Member of Parliament Dalmas Otieno, former Migori legislator John Dache Pesa as well as former Minister Ochillo Ayacko who only recently got the nod to fly the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket.

Others, who will be seeking the seat on independent tickets, are Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) Migori branch Executive Secretary Orwa Jasolo, former KUPPET Chairman Kennedy Makasembo, former Awendo parliamentary aspirant George Maando and educationist Solomon Hodo.

Speaking to Radio Ramogi, former Migori legislator John Dache Pesa said he opted to go to the poll as an independent candidate after failing to clinch the ODM party ticket.

“The party could only choose one person, and that person wasn’t me. Given that the party already selected their candidate, I would therefore ask them to allow the people of Migori to exercise their democratic right to vote for their preferred candidate,” said Pesa.

The Jubilee Party had previously stated that it had opted out of the Migori Senatorial race.

Addressing the press on July 22, Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju said the party’s leadership had resolved not to field a candidate as one of the ways to support the building bridges initiative of President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition chief Raila Odinga.