Kisumu, Kenya — In western Kenya, where thousands hit the streets to block polling in last week’s divisive vote, the re-election of Uhuru Kenyatta means nothing. For them, there can be only one president. "He’s our messiah," nods Gordon Ochyeng sitting in the back row of a church in Nyalenda slum in Kisumu. He is speaking of Raila Odinga. The city was the epicentre of violent opposition protests against last week’s deeply divisive presidential re-run, called after the country’s supreme court overturned an initial August poll. Over the past three months, Kisumu and the surrounding areas have played a central role in the mass protest movement led by veteran opposition leader, Odinga. The local businessman-turned-politician had urged his followers to boycott, which was widely observed. Here, Odinga’s word "can be law", says Rev Francis Omondi, who, like most people in the west, comes from the Luo tribe, Kenya’s fourth largest ethnic group. Although his influence over local politics is ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.