Premium
Gunboat diplomacy: How ODM is blackmailing its Azimio coalition partners
Top from left: ODM leaders Hassan Joho, Junet Mohamed, Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, Raila Odinga and Wycliffe Oparanya.
Bottom from left: Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa and Former Agriculture CS Peter Munya.
What you need to know:
- Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma accused other Azimio affiliate parties of disrespecting ODM.
- Mr Kioni had told Nation that they could not allow Mr Odinga to carry the Azimio coalition into government.
Azimio affiliate parties insist ODM is a hostile partner who, going by its behaviour, has opted for divorce but still insists on staying in the household.
The action by Mr Raila Odinga’s party to enter into a broad-based government with that of President William Ruto has rocked the coalition down the middle.
But now the Orange party appears to be the one reading a riot act to its partners over what it termed as endless bickering over the appointment of some of its members to the cabinet.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party and the Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper party being the second and third largest units in the coalition respectively have teamed up with Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-K, Gideon Moi’s Kanu and Peter Munya’s PNU to try and wrest the leadership of the coalition from ODM but their quest appears to have hit a snag over ODM’s dominance.
In the wake of an aborted coalition council meeting on Monday, Mr Odinga’s ODM now appears set to face off with its estranged partners for the control of the outfit, threatening to kick them out of various parliamentary positions should they continue their attacks on Mr Odinga.
Leadership roles
ODM co-deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi warned that they being the second largest in both the National Assembly and Senate, would automatically assume all the committee and other leadership roles held by their partners’ courtesy of the coalition should they ‘escalate the war’.
Mr Osotsi disclosed that any attempt to push ODM out of Azimio will backfire on their partners.
“This is because ODM will still remain a single major party in the opposition based on the numbers we have in the National Assembly and the Senate.
“I advise them to read the standing order of both Houses and they will discover that maybe only Wiper is a parliamentary party,” Mr Osotsi said.
Currently, ODM holds the National Assembly Minority Leader post under Suna East MP Junet Mohamed), Minority Whip under Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo while Deputy Minority Leader is held by Wiper - Kathiani MP Robert Mbui, with Jubilee holding Deputy Minority Whip under Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje.
In the Senate, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo (ODM) is the Senate Minority Leader deputised by Enoch Wambua (Wiper).
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina (ODM) is the Senate Minority Whip and is deputised by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna (ODM).
There are also a number of committees held by Azimio affiliate members courtesy of the coalition.
In the Azimio affairs management, Mr Odinga’s camp boasts of being in possession of the coalition’s "instruments of power" and control of vital posts including the Secretary-General position held by Mr Mohamed.
The Secretary-General holds a significant and influential position, serving as the chief administrative officer of the party and is a central figure in the functioning of a political party, responsible for both administrative tasks and strategic decision-making.
Party policies
The SG oversees the day-to-day operations of the party, ensuring that all activities align with the party's constitution and policies and acts as the main spokesperson for the party, communicating party policies and positions.
The Secretary-General is also responsible for organising party meetings, including national conventions and executive committee meetings.
Mr Osotsi maintained that ODM remains the principal partner in Azimio, adding that no amount of intimidation or blackmail will push them to submission.
“When they tell us we have joined government, on what basis are they speaking because we don’t have any written agreement with Kenya Kwanza? Isn’t this not just mere drama?” he posed.
The ODM official charged that they will not allow to be lectured by “some of our junior partners that we leave the coalition.”
A senior member of the coalition on Tuesday scolded Mr Wamalwa and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni against issuing ultimatums in the Azimio coalition, noting that the duo were not members of the coalition’s top decision-making organ – The Azimio Council.
There are fears among ODM partners that with Mr Odinga’s camaraderie with President Ruto and his quest for the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) which the government has endorsed, he could enter into a 2027 pact with Kenya Kwanza and shove them aside.
Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma accused other Azimio affiliate parties of disrespecting ODM.
“We are concerned at the disrespectful attitude our Azimio partners are showing towards the ODM party. Let us respect one another as partners or dissolve Azimio and let each party chart its own path to the future,” Mr Kaluma charged.
Mr Kioni had told Nation that they could not allow Mr Odinga to carry the Azimio coalition into government.
He also alleged that Mr Odinga had told them of his intention to resign as the party leader of Azimio to focus on his AUC bid.
"Raila has said he is going to the African Union, he cannot go with the opposition. He has also taken his people to government, but he cannot take the opposition to government," said Mr Kioni.
"If you are in government, you cannot continue being in the opposition. He (Raila) can't be the leader of the opposition and at the same time a leader in government. It is only fair that he allows us to reorganise the coalition. Donating his people to Ruto is only meant to help Ruto remain in power,” said Mr Kioni.
On Monday, ODM told off their coalition affiliate partners for questioning Mr Odinga’s ability and commitment to holding the Kenya Kwanza government to account.
The party on Monday took issue with claims by their partners that Mr Odinga had abandoned his opposition role and was working with President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.
ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga said there is no agreement between ODM and Kenya Kwanza that makes the two joint partners in government.
"In response to a national emergency and the need to steady the nation, ODM agreed to release, in their individual capacities, the members who had been tapped by the president," she said in reference to the ODM party nominees to president Ruto’s cabinet.
Mr Wamalwa said that following the aborted Azimio council meeting on Monday, “the parties will now be left to make their own decisions as ODM has and may the chips fall where they may.”
