After winning the endorsement of more than eight elected leaders from Nyanza region, President William Ruto is now targeting influential grassroots and national leaders who were once in the political inner circle of Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga.
The leaders spoke of what they described as dictatorship, slavery, violence and open embarrassment in ODM.
They include politician Odoyo Owidi, former MPs Professor Ayiecho Olweny (Muhoroni), Elizabeth Ongoro (Kasarani), Joe Donde (Gem), Edick Anyanga (Nyatike), activist and former ODM youth winger Joshua Nyamori, former Kisumu County Assembly Majority Leader Samuel Ong’ow and former police spokesman Charles Owino.
They spoke about their so-called Damascus moments and why they believe the Luo nation is waking up to the reality that Raila Odinga may never ascend to the presidency.
While they have taken this bold step, they have faced criticism on social media and publicly in their backyards for their new political stance.
The grassroots leaders have now rallied around Cabinet Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy Eliud Owalo and Dr Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary for Internal Security, who are President Ruto's point men in Nyanza region.
The latest to switch camps is Prof Olweny, the former Muhoroni MP and former ODM Kisumu County Coordinating Committee Chairman whose move has caused a stir on many platforms in the county.
He was officially received by Mr Owalo at his Asembo home, Siaya County, on Sunday before joining the CS for a Nomiya Church Youth Convention event at Kasagam Secondary School.
Mr Owalo urged more leaders and the people of Nyanza to support the Ruto administration, saying it will address their interests.
“There is a feasible development plan for Nyanza in all sectors including agriculture. Let us support President Ruto because he is the father figure of this nation and will not leave any region when it comes to development irrespective of the voting patterns in 2022,” said Mr Owalo.
When he rose to speak, Prof Olweny opened up on the mistreatment he faced in ODM and under Mr Odinga, saying he was hounded out of office on October 19, 2022 at a meeting at Ofafa Memorial Hall to which he says he was not invited.
“That was the day I became party-less and I have been free ever since. Before that I was embarrassed on many public forums before I was finally chased out of ODM,” said Prof Olweny.
In a subtle attack on Mr Odinga, who has made five attempts at the presidency, the former MP said: “We must accept that someone else can lead this country and not an individual every other time. We were good and strong but let us accept that the victory slipped before our eyes. I do not see anyone stopping the president in the next election.”
Prof Olweny said he joined the Odinga faction as a young man in 1992, when he had completed his PhD and was employed at the University of Nairobi.
He has been close to Mr Odinga for 32 years and has walked the path through FORD, FORD-K, NDP, LDP, NARC and ODM in the name of democracy.
“Should I decide to leave, that should be treated as democracy because ODM is a democratic party. It should allow people to leave or join at will. In politics, people come together and also part ways. They can remain friends or become sworn enemies. It is only I who feels the pain of being pricked by a thorn,” said Prof Olweny.
For many who have worked with and around Mr Odinga, loyalty has always been seen as crucial to earning his trust and that of his supporters.
Those who have been loyal to him and the ODM party have always won the opposition leader's admiration, earning them not only a seat at his table but also victory in party nominations and subsequent elections.
On the other hand, many who claim to have been fiercely loyal have also accused Mr Odinga and his party of constant betrayal, pain and agony they have gone through in the Orange Party and around the party leader, which has since had various effects on them economically, politically and even socially.
Like Prof Olweny, former senator-designate and Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro said they had been in ODM for so long that they believed there was no other alternative that could liberate the Luo community.
“As a community, we have been in political slavery for so long that we do not appreciate the freedoms we have. We must accept that the time has come for the liberation of this community and that is why we are in UDA by choice,” said Ms Ongoro.
Ms Ongoro said the community had always been at the forefront of the struggle for multiparty democracy and therefore ODM should not deny any leader their rights under the constitution.
“We fought for multiparty with many losing their lives in the process. Now when we want to enjoy these spaces, it becomes an issue to some people. I am urging those who have decided to defect to UDA, to do it boldly and without apology or explaining to anyone,” said Ms Ongoro.
“ODM thrived on political bad manners and there was no competition. It is time this stone throwing, violence and political intolerance must stop,” said Mr Owidi.
For Mr Owino, the former police spokesman, the issue of political violence will be a thing of the past as he is well trained to deal with such situations.
He pointed out that the president's development programmes in Nyanza are not aimed at wooing voters to join the UDA, but because the region is strategic to the country's economic dream.
Mr Nyamori, now a High Court advocate, said he had been a youth activist for over 20 years and urged the youth to change their mentality and bring about socio-economic change through the UDA party.
Former Nyakach MP Pollyins Ochieng Daima said their current home in the UDA was comfortable and a force to be reckoned with.
“Here in Kisumu, we are aware of the Sondu Miriu River which flows from Nandi towards Lake Victoria. You are aware of its strength and that it is used for hydroelectric power generation and sweeps everything in its way. That is the party to watch,” said Mr Daima.
But some see the move by these leaders as selfish and motivated by personal gain rather than the interests of their community.
Mr Onyango Oloo, the former Kisumu County Assembly Speaker, even blames some of them for the chaos in ODM.
Mr Oloo claimed that under Prof Olweny's watch, ODM in Kisumu became a rabid extortion ring and a dictatorial enterprise that did not tolerate dissent.
“Mr Odinga made him an MP and an Assistant minister, a classic demonstration of everything wrong with ODM and that makes the presidency an illusion and a pipe dream. He held no principles, no ideologies, no vision or commitment, was spineless and directionless. May God help him in his new journey,” said Mr Oloo.
The President not only welcomed the Nyanza leaders, but also appointed most of them to various positions in the government, giving a new home to the leaders branded 'rebels'.
Mr Ong'ow has been appointed director of the Agricultural Food Authority (AFA), Mr Owidi chairman of the Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Authority, Mr Anyanga chairman of the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Mr Charles Owino chairman of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, while Mr Nyamori is director of the National Housing Corporation.
Other beneficiaries are former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma who is the chairman of the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), former Senator Rose Nyamunga (chairperson, POSTA), Waore Dianga (chairman, Lake Basin Development Authority), John Nyambok (chairman, Chemelil Sugar), Luke Kirindo (director, Lake Basin Development Authority -- LBDA), Millicent Oduor (director, Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Authority), Nancy Oranga (trustee, Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund), Eric Osenya (director, Sony Sugar) and John Odek (councillor, Utalii College).
The grassroots leaders now join elected leaders who made their stand known early on, when they pledged to work with the Ruto government.
The seven MPs he hosted at State House, who have since been branded rebels, include Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda and MPs Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Paul Abuor (Rongo), Phelix Odiwuor aka Jalang'o (Lang'ata) and Caroli Omondi (Suba South).
The seven MPs, who were joined by embattled Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol, have resolved to work with the government of the day and put their constituents first in terms of development.
