Africa-Press – Kenya. Leadership wrangles loom at the Luo Council of Elders after Ker Nyandiko Ongadi dismissed plans to succeed Ker Opiyo Otondi. He said he was the bona fide council chairman succeeding former Ker Riaga Ogallo in 2015, noting that there was no vacuum in the council.
This comes after ODM party leader Raila Odinga on Friday presided over a meeting to plan the succession. Raila accompanied by Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathew Owili, Ugunja MP and Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi met some elders in Kisumu to plan on Otondi’s successor.
Otondi died in February this year. Raila presided over the meeting as the patron of the council. Nyandiko on Tuesday said Otondi was not duly elected as the chairman but was being supported by some politicians.
“I was the one who was duly elected by the Luo Council of elders at Ofafa Hall in 2015 in Kisumu to replace the late Ker Riaga Ogallo and not Otondi,” he said. In a phone interview, Ongadi faulted some politicians for meddling in the affairs of the Council over plans to install a new leader.
He holds the registration documents of the outfit. The council has been faced with leadership wrangles with both Ongadi and Otondi (deceased) claiming to be bona fide chairman.
The two factions operate parallel and run their activities independently. But some elders allied to Ongadi criticised Raila and other politicians for making arrangements to install another elder as Ker (chairman)
Nyandiko has told politicians to keep off the affairs of the Luo Council for its growth. Some of the functions of the council are to unite the community for a cause including cultural practices.
The council also promotes peace among the community and the neighbouring community in the country. Ongadi said Ker should not be a politician and must be neutral to help unite the people for peace to prevail.
The Council through its leadership also speaks on behalf of the community. They threatened to move to court to stop the process saying politicians should not be allowed to meddle and control the activities of the council.
Ongadi said they have not called any election to replace Otondi since he is the bona fide chairman. He claims to hold the registration documents of the outfit and no one should speak on behalf of the council apart from him.
“We will not recognise the group in case of any elections to replace Otondi. The parallel outfit is acting like an opposition to the Luo Council of elders,” Ongadi said.
He said he has valid documents which were used to register the outfit at the office of the register of Societies. “Based on the documents I’m the duly elected chairman and spokesperson of the council,” he said.
“We have the rules and regulations that guide the operations of the Council. They must be followed and whoever disobeys them is a stranger.”
His supporters Okinyi Rao and Ariko Adoyo said introducing politics into the council will not only affect their operations but also slow down their development.
“We’re wondering what interest the politicians have in the Council. Elders don’t want politics in the council,” he said.
Adoyo said they have the freedom to choose their chairman without influence from politicians. “Ongadi is the spokesman of the council. Elders become members of the council after registration,” Adoyo said.
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