Ford Kenya party has suffered a blow after its officials and hundreds of supporters from Lwandeti ward, Lugari constituency decamped to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and vowed to drum up support for ODM candidates.
Led by the longest serving chairman Mr Sifungo Natembeya, about 20 party officials announced their defections to ODM in a brief ceremony held at Kabrengu trading centre where they promised to rally their supporter behind the Lugari parliamentary candidate on an ODM ticket Nabii Daraja Nabwera.
“The reason we have made this major announcement today is because we want to be on the development oriented side,” said Natembeya, who regretted there was nothing tangible to show off in exchange for their undying support they have accorded Ford Kenya since the early 90s.
The officials pointed out poor leadership within the party and dissatisfaction with the Ford Kenya parliamentary and MCA candidates campaign trails and policies as the reason behind their defection.
Natembeya said following their dissatisfaction with Ford Kenya they sat together as a team and interrogated manifestoes and leadership of all the candidates in Lugari before making decisions on who to support and they found out that ODM candidate Nabii
Nabwera had the best manifesto for the residents of Lugari.
“Therefore, as a team, we are happy to announce here today that ODM was our best choice and we now feel at home,” declared Natembeya.
Kakamega County ODM organizing secretary Mr. Rajab Mukolwe received the defectors who promised to focus their energies towards strengthening the ODM team in the region.
Rajab said ODM was the only party capable of providing good leadership besides uniting residents living in the Western region and beyond arguing that it was the most popular party with a national outlook.
He urged the defectors to fully throw their weight behind ODM candidates in the area.
Lugari parliamentary candidate Nabii Nabwera who was also present thanked the officials for their move and promised to work closely with the new team to enable him to clinch Lugari seat in the August 8th General Elections.
”I am sure ODM will clinch all the seats in Kakamega county starting down from the MCA to the Governor and not forgetting the topmost seat, the presidency. So it’s good you have joined a winning team I am really grateful for the move,” said Nabii who promised to turn Lugari into a rainbow Constituency in terms of economic and social development saying he
will focus on achieving equity in distributing resources in all wards, besides improving infrastructure, education and promoting youth enterprise.