Yesterday may well be the end of William Oduol in Siaya County politics, at least, according to those on the ground who measure the political ‘mood’ in nanoseconds. For sometime, Oduol appeared to had won over a section of the orange party youth activists, especially those associated with the lobby group ODM Youth 2012, but the tactful entry of the party boss, Raila Odinga, summarily ended the young men’s prostitution!
Also, the entry of Raila Odinga in Siaya elections, and on the side of Rasanga, with a high powered Coalition for Reforms and Democracy team which included Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama and his Siaya Counterpart James Orengo among other ODM stalwarts and  local leaders has, practically, ended the race for Oduol. Kapoot!
“Hii Kitu hachukui. . .hii kitu Oduol haoni,†said a resident who attended Raila’s rally yesterday in the many centers he passed over to campaign for the party’s choice, Cornel Rasanga Amoth.
While it was expected that Oduol would pose a challenge for the CORD candidate, the election in Siaya has been given an interpretation which he cannot overcome. The seat is gone. Game short!
First, Siaya is the birthplace of Raila Odinga. For all that the cord leader has achieved in politics, the loyalty, and enduring support of the Siaya people, has always ensured that Odinga looks outside, because ‘home is safe’. To wrestle Siaya out of the reach of Odinga is to finally is like fighting a man in his bedroom!
According to columnist Cris Maina, the by-election in Siaya is not a Rasanga- Oduol contest; to him, and many watchers, it is an Oduol-Raila contest with the lurking shadow of president Uhuru Kenyatta and his jubilee government seen as the ‘elephant’ in the room.
The Oduol’s camp seem to have panicked, for the final thrashing will be gigantic. Late in the week, Oduol was summoned by the IEBC for using Raila image on his posters, heightening the stakes in the Siaya election. Even Oduol knows using Raila is the ‘only’ option for winning the Siaya seat!
After the summonses by the IEBC county coordinator, Ms Osiemo, Oduol later claimed the use of Odinga’s photo was ‘not intentional’ and did not deny that his team didn’t use the image, which in itself is an electoral offense: He is lying to voters that he is associated with Odinga! Nill, he is not.