Kaluma Vows Broad-Based Gov’t Support for Boyd Were in Kasipul By-Election

Homa Bay, Kenya — September 25, 2025

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has pledged that the Broad-Based Government (BBG) will marshal its political machinery to back Boyd Were in the upcoming Kasipul parliamentary by-election. The endorsement came after Were clinched the ODM party ticket.

The Latest

• On his official X page, Kaluma congratulated Were on his nomination, invoking the legacy of his late father. > “Congratulations, Boyd Were, on your nomination as the ODM party candidate for MP for Kasipul Constituency! Your late father is very proud of you and the family he left behind.”

• Were secured 18,210 votes in the ODM primaries, decisively outperforming his main rival, Newton Ogada, who polled 3,037 votes. 

• His victory reinforces the influence of Governor Gladys Wanga, who backed his candidacy publicly even during his father’s funeral. 

• The ODM primaries, however, were marred by isolated incidents of violence, including stone‐throwing, tyre deflations, and vandalism of a candidate’s hospital property. 

Context & Stakes

• Kasipul Constituency is in Homa Bay County. The seat fell vacant following the death of MP Charles Ong’ondo Were in April 2025. 

• The by-election is viewed as a test of strength for BBG and ODM in Nyanza, particularly in constituencies previously considered opposition strongholds.

• Kaluma’s public backing signals that the BBG is intent on consolidating its control across regions with symbolic and strategic importance.

Legal & Political Implications

• Kaluma’s move shows that national politics and party machinery remain deeply intertwined; endorsement from sitting MPs can translate into mobilisation capacity on the ground.

• Such alignment may also raise questions about fairness in campaign resource allocation, media access, and the neutrality of public institutions.

• The endorsement will put pressure on rival parties (independents, opposition factions, or those unhappy with ODM primaries) to consolidate or risk splitting votes.

Risks & Challenges

• Rival factions may claim the primaries were manipulated or biased, leading to internal splits or legal petitions.

• The incidents of violence in the primaries could spark disputes and legal challenges that may hinder campaign momentum.

• Overreliance on party machinery could alienate grassroots voters who feel their voices were sidelined in nomination processes.

What We Don’t Know Yet

• The scale and form of BBG resource deployment: whether it will be financial, logistical, or security support.

• Whether all ODM aspirants and voters will seamlessly rally behind Were or if divisions will persist.

• What counter-strategies rival parties or independent candidates will adopt.

• Whether any legal challenges to the primaries’ conduct will emerge before the by-election.

What to Watch

• Statements or responses from Newton Ogada and other defeated ODM aspirants.

• BBG’s visible campaign support: rallies, endorsements, financial backing.

• Any court petitions challenging the validity of the ODM nomination.

• Voter turnout and performance in subsequent campaigns or polling as a gauge of BBG/ODM influence.