The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has withdrawn from the Wajir West Constituency by-election.
The move follows a humbling defeat in the recent Ugenya and Embakasi South mini-polls.
In Ugenya, David Ochieng of the Movement of Democracy and Growth party (MDG), floored ODM’s Chris Karan.
Ochieng garnered 18,730 over Karan’s 14,507 to clinch Ugenya constituency parliamentary seat.
In Embakasi South Constituency, ODM candidate Irshad Sumra conceded a humiliating defeat hours before the final tally was done.
Julius Mawathe of the Wiper Democratic party garnered 21,628 votes trouncing Sumra who managed 7,988 votes.
The Jubilee party, didn’t field any candidates in the polls. However, the defeat was attributed to Deputy President William Ruto’s influence.
The Party leader Raila Odinga and Secretary general Edwin Sifuna came under sharp criticism for linking DP Ruto to their misery, with many saying the party’s influence had diminished.
The Tuesday move to withdrawal from the April 25 mini-polls has overly been attributed to the recent humiliating defeat.
However, the ODM party stated that the move was aimed at reciprocating Jubilee’s good gesture in the Ugenya and Embakasi South by-elections.
“…this is after high level party consultations which arrived at the decision to reciprocate @JubileePartyK’s earlier gesture not to field candidates in by elections in Ugenya & Embakasi South, ” ODM said.
Read:Blow To ODM As David Ochieng, Julius Mawathe Win By Elections
Kenyans took to social media to blast the ODM party for making fools of Kenyans.
They described the move as a strategy to avoid an impending defeat.
Check out their reactions.
This was obvious after you were thoroughly beaten hands up in the Ugenya and Embakasi by-elections. But i know in certainity that the political dwarf @edwinsifuna and his fellow puppets will be all over the space tyring to justify their cowardice.
— PEASANT FARMER (@MutukuJMutua) April 9, 2019
hahahaha….. losers in the battle u think to revenge by humiliating jubilee u will loose asubuhi na mapema #ndotoyamchana KOLOSH ALL THE WAY🤣🤣🤣
— Yator isaac (@Yatorisaac1) April 9, 2019
Wise move. Retreat is the right thing otherwise that seat would have been lost to prove a non existent point
— Joe (@chothep) April 9, 2019
You feared the third humiliation. You had a Candidate already. @JubileePartyK never even introduced one. For you, why withdraw halfway when the game already started. If it was in good faith, you would have decided from day one! Hii ni kuhepa aibu
— Timothy Chesiny Kipruto (@ChesinyKim) April 9, 2019
Aaaaa it was evident you would loose
— Dollar Dollar (@NelsonKipkori15) April 9, 2019
Once beaten twice shy
— BILLOW ABDI BARICHA (@BBaricha) April 9, 2019
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874. You can also find us on Telegram through www.t.me/kahawatungu