Renowned lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi is among prominent Kenyans who reacted to ODM’s defeat. The Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) embarrassing defeat in the Embakasi South and Ugenya by-elections continue to draw reactions among politicians and Kenyans.
ODM loss in the two by-elections came as a shock as the Raila Odinga-led party had been rated as the favourite to clinch the two seats. In Embakasi South, Julius Mwathe of Wiper Party out-classed his rival Irshard Sumra.
Sumra had been rated favourite to win owing to ODM’s popularity in Nairobi City politics. Mawathe, however, clinched the seat after garnering 21,628 votes against Sumra’s 7,988 votes.
In Ugenya, David Ochieng defeated ODM’s, Chris Karan. Ahmednasir took to his Twitter handle and said; “Kenyans don’t get the single most important lesson from the Embakasi South and Ugenya by-elections. The Voters don’t like establishment candidates and ODM was the establishment in the by-elections.”
Kenyans don't get the single most important lesson from the Embakasi South and Ugenya by-elections…the VOTERS don't like ESTABLISHMENT candidates…and ODM was the ESTABLISHMENT in the by-elections @WehliyeMohamed
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi SC (@ahmednasirlaw) April 6, 2019
The Orange Party will now be looking to redeem itself in the Wajir West by-election set for April 25. Five candidates, Ahmed Kolosh (Jubilee Party), Mohamed Yussuf (ODM), Ali Noor Abdi (Labour Party of Kenya), Ibrahim Mohamed (KANU) and Abbas Nunow (Agano Party) have been cleared by IEBC to contest in the by-election.