Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has firmly rejected calls for zoning in political party nominations, arguing that democracy should prevail within the broader coalition arrangement between ODM and UDA.
Her remarks come amid ongoing internal debates within the political coalition over how constituencies should be shared among allied parties ahead of upcoming elections.
Response to Online Criticism
In a written statement, Odhiambo dismissed criticism of her position, notably online comments implying she was opposed to Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga.
She dismissed such accusations as naive and intellectually weak, arguing that debate within a party should not be misunderstood as personal rivalry.
“I find it utterly amusing that when I express a view different from some people in my party, then they send bloggers with a standard ‘you are jealous of Gladys Wanga’ comment,” she said.
“Other than the statement depicting intellectual deficiency, I wonder what you hope to achieve with it.”
She further emphasized that strong women leaders should be celebrated rather than used as tools for political division. According to her, excellence in leadership among women should be viewed as collective progress rather than competition.
“If I am jealous of Wanga, and yet I am superb as a leader, that is good. It means as a woman leader she is doing exceedingly well. That is a plus for us women,” she added.
Call for Merit-Based Political Competition
Odhiambo has strongly opposed zoning, claiming that it undermines democratic choice and reduces competition within political parties. She requested that all coalition partners be given the freedom to run candidates in all areas.
“I do not support zoning. Let democracy prevail. We are in Broad-based Coalition with UDA. Let them field candidates anywhere,” she stated.
She further noted that elected leaders should be judged based on performance rather than negotiated political allocations, arguing that service delivery should be the primary basis for re-election.
“Let what we have done under our respective mandates be our defender,” she reiterated, signaling a shift toward merit-based political competition.
Her statement is expected to intensify debate within coalition ranks, especially as parties negotiate power-sharing arrangements ahead of 2027.
