Seme MP James Nyikal who is considered one of potential successors of ODM party leader Raila Odinga as Nyanza region kingpin ( Photo Courtesy)
Considered one of the most sober politicians in the country, Seme MP Dr James Nyikal is a political gem in the entire Nyanza region.
A career medical doctor, Dr Nyikal had a successful career as a medic before plunging into the murky world of politics in 2013 to contest the Seme MP seat.
At the height of the 2007-2008 post-election violence that claimed over 1000 lives, Dr Nyikal was a high-flying government bureaucrat where he served as the Director of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health.
But in 2013, he opted to swap hospital for Parliament. He successfully ran for the MP seat on an ODM party ticket. Seme constituency had been hived off from the former Kisumu Rural constituency. And since his election a decade ago, the veteran MP has never looked back.
Now serving his third straight term as MP, Dr Nyikal is one of the senior most members of the Raila Odinga inner circle.
Azimio la Umoja coalition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga ( Photo Courtesy)
Respected and admired at the same time, he is known for his sobriety. This has seen him touted as one of the potential successors of the former Prime Minister in Nyanza.
With Raila at the twilight of his political career, Nyanza’s political top guns are angling to succeed him as the regional kingpin. And Dr Nyikal could be one of the dark horses.
Though Siaya County Governor James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo are considered front runners in the Raila succession battle, the Seme lawmaker could pull a shocker and inherit the ODM party leader’s loyal backyard.
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