ODM Still Strong Despite Last Week's By-Elections Humiliation, Raila Says

Opposition leader Raila Odinga says the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party is still strong despite suffering huge defeat in two by-elections last week.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Monday, Odinga has downplayed the losses and dismissed claims that ODM has lost ground.

Odinga says the setback in the two mini-elections held last Friday "is not a big deal."

“Elections are won or lost… So the fact that someone has lost an election it’s not a big deal. It's not a big issue,” says Odinga.

In the Embakasi South by-election, Wiper candidate Julius Mawathe was declared the winner after garnering 21, 628. Mawathe trounced his main rival Irshad Sumra of ODM who got 7,988 votes.

Similarly, ODM candidate in Ugenya mini poll Christopher Karan was humiliated by David Ochieng of little-known Movement for Democracy and Growth Party (MDG).

Ugenya is Odinga's political backyard and is considered an ODM stronghold.

“In Embakasi South it was NASA versus NASA and Sumra congratulated Mawathe. Even us in ODM congratulated him (Mawathe)… So why is the media making a big issue about it? People will make comments here and there,” notes Odinga.

“There are no issues at all in ODM or any differences. ODM remains a very strong and united party.”