The ongoing turf wars within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) over who should control the party at the national level have spilt over to the Nairobi County Assembly, where the party holds a majority.
What was initially perceived as a power struggle between its leader, Dr Oburu Oginga, and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga is threatening to split the city members of the county assembly (MCAs) in the middle.
Two factions have emerged within the party, where the top leaders at the County Assembly have been accused of siding with Ms Odinga and going against Dr Oburu.
On Wednesday, the simmering supremacy battles played out in the open when a section of ODM MCAs who addressed the media threatened to kick out Majority Leader Peter Imwatok (Makongeni MCA), and the Majority Whip Moses Ogeto (Kilimani MCA) for siding with the EALA legislator.
The two assembly leaders have been vocal in their support for a leadership change push within the party, arguing that the leadership should be handed back to the Raila Odinga family.
ODM leader Oburu Oginga (left) and former party leader Raila Odinga's daughter, Winnie Odinga.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
Mr Imwatok and Mr Ogeto have been showing close association with a faction in ODM led by Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino; a group seen to be agitating for old guards in the party to make way for young turks.
Considered rebels, the Senator Sifuna-led group has also been opposed to the broad-based government arrangement as well as any talks on a deal to support President William Ruto’s re-election.
“They cannot sit in party positions and continue throwing stones at the party while they dine with the opponents of the party. If they do not support the current leadership, what business do they have hanging on those positions?” posed Mr Majiwa.
“If they are man enough, let them go outside there and support those who they think they believe in,” he added.
The former Nairobi mayor said they are pro-broad-based government as that is where their former party leader, Raila, left them, and that they will only follow the decision which will be issued by the party leader come 2027, when the broad base deal will expire.
Former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, the late Raila Odinga.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
“We stand with the President and our party leader Dr Oburu, who is running the party and categorically state that our position is that as members of ODM, we are strongly behind Dr Oburu and his entre leadership,” Baba Dogo MCA Geophrey Odhiambo Majiwa said.
Mr Majiwa stated that those who are going against the party leader are betrayers who should be dealt with, adding that they are misleading the party supporters.
“We don’t see the difference between our party leader who is in office and our former leader who left us. These are all Odingas and we believe in all of them…what they seem to forget is that the difference between Raila and Oburu is only one year,” Mr Majiwa said.
Korogocho MCA Absalom Odhiambo said that those who are against Dr Oburu’s leadership are not sincere, adding that changes will take place once the MCAs are back from the long recess.
“If our leadership feels that they are not okay with Dr Oburu, let them step aside and we will be glad to appoint other people to take over. For now, let them know that Governor Gladys Wanga, Dr Oburu and Junet Mohamed are the face of leadership. We don’t have a parallel ODM which they are claiming to follow,” Mr Odhiambo said.
The headquarters of the Nairobi City County Government offices on City Hall Way.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Ngei MCA Redson Otieno Onyango said that ODM leaders in the County Assembly have overstayed in their positions, and that it was time to bring change.
They also announced that they will support Makadara MP George Aladwa as the next governor in Nairobi.
However, in an interview with Nation , Mr Ogeto challenged the MCAs to remove him from his position, emphasising that he is a legitimate member of the ODM party.
“Whoever wants to remove me, that is also democracy. But they should not treat us like luggage. They should consult us and that is why we are requesting for an NDC to consult delegates of the party, and that is how Raila used to do,” Mr Ogeto said.
While appearing for an interview at Citizen television on Tuesday evening, EALA MP acknowledged that the MPs, and MCAs who were on her side were facing difficulties at their positions.
“We have reached a situation where you are being told to fill out forms of whether you support the regime of the day, if you do, then you will be given TSC slots. If you do not, God knows what happens to you.”
