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As the August 8 date for the general elections is fast closing in, a deserted village in Vihiga county has witnessed a beehive of activities in recent weeks as politicians seeking various seats troop to an ancient shrine to seek ‘blessings’.
Sources say that since last year, dozens of politicians have toured the legendary Nganyi Lanet shrine at Ebusekwe village, Luanda towns, to seek good ‘fortunes’ during the polls.
74-year-old Joseph Owino, a caretaker at the shrine, said that some sitting governors in Western Kenya, two senatorial and scores of parliamentary aspirants had already visited the ‘holy’ site, but declined to disclose their names.
“Everything that takes place here must remain here, I cannot tell you who they were or what transpired during the visits. That is how we work,” he stated.
“Nobody promises to pass by and break the promise,” he adds.
Owino reveals that a good number of politicians had already booked to visit the popular shrine once Parliament adjourns.
Nganyi Lanet, a legendary Bunyore elder, inherited the shrine from his father, Nammonywa, who also inherited it from Oluchiri, the grandson of Assubwe son of the clan’s founder Asekwe.
“Our core mandate is to make rain because this is a blessing to many people. Politicians, however, come to us and we pray for them. This has been happening since time immemorial,” Owino said.
He adds: “We receive many politicians from all the political parties. God has given us the power to do many things. We, therefore, do not take political sides using the power bestowed on us.”
“We assess a politician before allowing him or her into the shrine. We also assess his reception on the ground.
“If, in our wisdom, we establish that such a politician is largely accepted by voters, we offer him special prayers and he or she wins. All the serious politicians we have prayed for have won during elections.”Owino reveals.