By MN Reporter

It has been an eventful 2018 for Migori county politically after we elected a new speaker of the assembly and the third speaker.

With the county yet to heal after a chaotic and violent county politics of 2017, this year added spanner to the works and these politicians were picked by Migori News editorial desk after though vetting.

We will list them in descending order:

10. Dalmas Otieno, former Rongo MP

When he lost the Rongo MP seat on independent candidate to ODM’s Paul Abuor, most people wrote him off until when he came back to vie as the third senator after demise of Ben Oluoch Okello. His stint was an anti-climax: short, and uneventful.

The tall man from Kangeso, has a short stint on the race and had galvanized the support of governor Okoth Obado before making a U-turn a day to IEBC clearance to take up Salaries and Remuneration Commission post as a easy path from campaign hustles. He makes the list on a negative impact

9. Pamela Odhiambo, Woman Representative Migori

Her development record can be debatable, as she gets mixed reviews, but her taking up the ODM campaigns for senator Ochillo Ayacko made an impact. Earlier she has been a fixture in ODM party politics, parliament debates and media presence.

She managed well to bring on board other ODM leaders, both at county and national level, to push through an agenda which made her to be whispered as a governor candidate in 2022. But that again is debatable.

8. Hevron Maira, Muhuru Bay MCA

The quiet, not so eloquent, diminutive guy from the shores of Lake Victoria has cast a huge shadow at the assembly where entire members have gone kaput. When others cower with their tails between their legs, Maira has been able to point out irregularities.

His stance has made him peerless, and a spot in our list.

7. Peter Masara, MP Suna West

There are only two legislators in Luo Nyanza who defied the ODM wave to clinch their seats on Independent ticket, one of them is the former Migori Mayor. After flooring Joseph Ndiege who was heavily supported by governor Okoth Obado, by over a thousand votes, Masara ended up winning a high court petition.

He makes it to the list because he managed to take part in ODM social and party activities, including the senator by-elections, to be warmly welcomed back to ODM by Raila Odinga.

6. Boaz Okoth, speaker Migori

When he decided to step down as the North Kadem MCA to vie as speaker, governor Okoth Obado right hand man took the biggest political gamble in his life. The man who has defied and survived bigger opponents before was faced with chaotic scenes in the election.

After a repeat he floored lawyer Marwa Kerario in what turned out to be a mini war between Obado and Ayacko.

5. Mark Nyamita, MP Uriri

He is Migori’s best legislator according to votes by FB users. After dropping off the governor race in 2017, Nyamita ended up winning in 98 per cent of polling centers in Uriri.

Within that time he has been vocal on media with an aggressive social media presence coupled with being the patron of National Super League side Migori Youth FC and Sony Rugby 7s. His timely posts and direct engagement with constituents on social media has been a big plus for his brand.

4. Ochillo Ayacko, senator Migori

After taking a sabbatical from elective politics, the former cabinet minister unsuccessfully vied for governor in 2017 in chaotic and bloody campaigns against governor Okoth Obado. Was floored. Had a court petition which was thrown out, with costs.

Then ODM gave him the senator ticket which he converted into the third senator of Migori within all within a year. What made it remarkable is that he shied away from SRC and ambassador appointments before vying.

3. Marwa Kitayama, MP Kuria East

He is un-disputed Kuria nation kingpin, The first term legislator is not always shy of speaking his mind and rattled governor Okoth Obado, his erstwhile ally and told off Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula in his face at Kegonga that Kuria will vote for DP William Ruto when he went to campaign there.

In the senator by elections, Kitayama openly told Obado that Kuria votes were not in his pocket when he supported Eddy Oketch, and ended up proving the same in the ballot.

2. Okoth Obado, governor Migori

First he is number two in the list for negative impact of putting the county in the headlines for months, for all wrong reasons which cling on him like a second skin. We won’t go into details because of space.

Secondly his political impact was felt when he won the court of appeal petition on his election, his stance against ODM leadership in senator by-elections and recent alliance with DP William Ruto.

1. Eddy Gicheru Oketch, aspirant Senator

He was number two in the senator by-elections, but this young man made sure ODM leader Raila Odinga and the entire orange house brigade sweat to clinch the seat.

When ODM handed Ayacko a direct ticket and tried to force a handshake between Ayacko and Obado they thought it was to be a walk in the park, until Eddy came along. He had the best run and a political year to remember.

He tops our list.