Kibra MP Candidate Eliud Owalo Unapologetic for Calling Mariga a Tout

Kibra MP candidate for the November 7 by-election, Eliud Owalo, on Monday morning was unapologetic for referring to jubilee’s MacDonald Mariga as a manamba (tout).

Over the weekend, speculations went rife that Amani National Congress candidate (ANC), Owalo, would step down and drum up support for Mariga, speculations that he termed as propaganda, nonsense and hogwash.

“Sasa wameanza propaganda ati oooh Owalo atajitokeza kwa kinyang’anyiro ili aende afuate Mariga. Sasa mtu kama mimi nimesoma nitawacha niende nifuate manamba (They have started propaganda that Owalo will step down from the race so that he may follow Mariga. How will an educated person like me step down and go follow a tout)?” He questioned.

On a Monday morning interview with GBS TV, in an unapologetic to the above remarks, he said it was belittling to him that someone would contemplate that he would step down to someone of the calibre of Mariga.

“That is actually where he belongs, he is being shepherded into this race to suit someone’s else political interest, not that he fits the bill,” he claimed.

To support his argument, he noted that if Mariga fitted the bill or the MP position, he would have already put his agenda on the table.

The former Raila Odinga aide also affirmed to his supporters and the public that he had never at any one point contemplated or imagined pulling out of the race nonetheless, for a political novice.

Mr Owalo announced his resignation from ODM last month, saying his “political ideology, convictions and belief” were no longer in line with those of the party.

Two weeks later, he officially declared his candidature for the Kibra parliamentary seat on an ANC party ticket.

Before his resignation, he worked as Odinga’s presidential campaign manager in the 2013 elections. Mr Owalo also runs a management consulting firm.