Kisumu — Nyanza United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party officials have castigated Siaya Governor James Orengo over his utterances on the ruling party officials in the region.
Orengo has been quoted in the recent past indicating that no UDA party officials will speak in functions he attends.
The condemnation follows the ejection of Ugenya MP David Ochieng and former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo during a burial in Siaya county attended by Orengo and Raila Odinga, the ODM party leader.
Kennedy Obuya, the interim Homa Bay UDA party chairman who spoke on behalf of other chairmen in Nyanza region said the utterances by Orengo border on incitement and should be condemned.
"The intention of Orengo is to make utterances that border on hate speech and ethnic incitement in the hope that the government will harrass and arrest them," he said.
He says the Governor want to use the arrest to ferment anti- UDA mobilization in Luo Nyanza region.
Obuya says UDA is making major inroads in the region and ODM is panicking while using dirty tactics to block its entry into the area.
He says UDA party over the years been holding massive grassroots sensitization and recruitment of new members peacefully and without solicitation or coercion.
However, Obuya has asked the government to completely ignore Orengo but remind him that his careless and proactive utterances border on incitement.
"Luo Nyanza must be made aware that ODM is attempting to isolate them from political competition using threats of violence and intimidation," he said.
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He further alleged that Orengo had instructed Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi to lead the enforcement targeting UDA party officials.
"The two will be held personally liable to injuries, deaths and destruction to any personal property that will arise from their careless utterances," he said.
Obuya says as UDA party officials in the region, they will soldier on marketing the party and ushering in new members.
He says at no point will they abandon the region for ODM party that has struggled over the years to liberate the region economically to no success.
"With billions of shillings getting allocated to Luo Nyanza counties, the UDA party urges ODM leaders to focus on service delivery to the people instead if targeting UDA party officials," he said.
He went ahead to remind the people of Luo Nyanza not to be used to fight costly political wars that only benefits ODM political leaders.
