Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
The Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has issued a stern warning, threatening to spearhead a popular resistance against President William Ruto’s administration over the emergence of dictatorial and oppressive politics.
In an exclusive interview with the Nation, ODM interim party leader Anyang’ Nyong’o took issue with the ongoing abductions across the country, saying they would resist attempts by the regime to oppress Kenyans.
“We are ready to lead a popular resistance to dictatorial and oppressive politics that tries to impose an oppressive and undemocratic regime on people through such things as abductions and Precambrian political threats,” Prof Nyong’o said.
“We therefore strongly caution the government to stop this cowardly abduction of those who criticise undemocratic policies.”
Mr Odinga had earlier warned that Kenyans would not tolerate a gangster State, urging for an end to the abductions which precipitated nationwide protests on Monday.
“These are very dangerous developments. It’s like a mafia State where individuals who resemble police officers abduct Kenyans in broad daylight,” Mr Odinga said on Friday in an interview with Citizen TV.
“They resemble the gang of General Papa Doc Duvalier and his Tonton Macoute paramilitary force who used to abduct people and torture them. So this is like a state of gangsters and is not something we can tolerate in our country.”
In his interview with Nation, Prof Nyong’o noted that the ODM party’s participation in Dr Ruto’s broad-base government should not be misconstrued to mean embracing “oppressive” policies.
“We know our future as a party. But we are not necessarily able to predict the future of politics. What we are sure of in this future is our mission as a national democratic and revolutionary party,” he said.
“By revolutionary, we do not mean taking up arms and fighting for change. La hasha (No way). We mean being ready to lead a popular resistance to dictatorial and oppressive politics.”
Prof Nyong’o also delved into the party’s coalition plans and Mr Odinga’s quest for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC).
These are the excerpts of his interview:
Q: You say that ODM is ready to lead the resistance against the Kenya Kwanza regime, how is this possible when you are part of the broad-base government?
A: President Ruto was very realistic. He saw, during the Gen Z uprising, that one of his key problems was the lack of a popular base to govern democratically. The ODM was with Gen Z in the uprising since they articulated very clearly the issues that we stand for. We agreed to participate in the broad-base government so that we could use State power to implement these issues. This is very different from joining the UDA government.
Q: You have said in the past that ODM would seek "strategic partnerships" ahead of the 2027 elections, is President Ruto's UDA party an option for such partnerships?
A: Coalitions are created and built for specific purposes, quite often for winning elections. If a coalition wins an election, it proceeds to form a coalition government with the member parties maintaining their identities. That is our understanding in OÐM.
We shall enter into coalitions from time to time to achieve specific purposes in politics, including winning elections and forming governments without losing our identity as ODM.
Q: As the year 2024 comes to a close, how do you rate the performance of the Kenya Kwanza regime? What are its strengths?
A: The president's realisation that he needed to reach out to Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta to broaden the base of his government, both in terms of ideas and participation is, indeed, a strong point. He got into government with a narrow political base. He could not rule popularly without broadening this base. He was very realistic in approaching both Raila and Uhuru. Both, being statesmen, prioritised the future of our nation, and not simply the president's political ambition, when they, in turn, agreed to broaden the base of the government.
Q: What about the regime’s weaknesses?
A: The President has engaged in what seems to be a charm offensive of launching and opening projects here and there where his presence at times seems awkward. Launching a project where a Minister, or a much lower official, would be much more relevant is somehow an overkill.
Q: Your party leader Raila Odinga is eyeing the chairmanship of the African Union Commission, what happens to his political ambitions in Kenya if he wins or loses?
A: Our party leader is in the AU Chairmanship race to win not to try to win. That is why both the President and himself are working day and night to get that post. All our embassies and missions abroad are focused on this project. The candidate, known to nearly all African heads of state, is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure his victory.
