Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party officials now want co-deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi kicked out of the position should he fail to attend Friday’s special National Delegates Convention (NDC).
In its notice issued on March 5, the party listed ‘ratification of the National Governing Council (NGC) Resolution on party leadership’ as the main agenda of the convention.
The party’s NGC last November approved the appointment of Dr Oburu Oginga (party leader), his three deputies, Mr Osotsi, Kisii Governor Simba Arati and his Mombasa counterpart Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), pending ratification by the NDC.
Other officials whose appointments will be confirmed by the delegates include Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga (chairperson), Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo (Vice chairperson), John Ariko (Vice Chairperson), Ahmed Mohammed (National Organising Secretary), Kisumu Woman Rep Ruth Odinga (Deputy Organising Secretary) and Kisumu West MP Rozaah Buyu (Secretary for Political Affairs).
Mr Osotsi has publicly said that he will not attend the convention. Instead, he has said he would attend a parallel NDC convened by the Linda Mwananchi faction in Nairobi.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
The Nation has established that the interim officials will be presented individually before delegates for either confirmation or rejection.
ODM Nairobi branch chairperson and Makadara MP George Aladwa said should Mr Osotsi fail to attend the meeting, the party will ask delegates from Western to propose his replacement.
“We will remove him from that position if he does not attend the meeting. This meeting has been called to confirm the interim officials. Staying away means he does not want the position,” Mr Aladwa told the Nation.
There were talks that Winnie Odinga could be proposed to replace him, but Mr Aladwa said the replacement can only come from western Kenya. He explained that Winnie has been proposed to be the fourth deputy party leader to represent Nairobi.
ODM Deputy Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo said the meeting will pronounce itself on the matter based on the prevailing circumstances.
“We will wait and see what happens on that day. People can be absent for genuine reasons. If he does not come and fails to send an apology, with reasons for not coming, then the party will make a decision based on those circumstances.”
“My prayer, however, is that Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi can reconcile so that we move forward as a family. Our late party leader created a movement, not movements. We are a democratic party that allows for divergent views, but that should not degenerate to political animosity,” said Ms Omanyo, who was appointed by the party to replace Secretary General Edwin Sifuna. The decision by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) was, however, suspended by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) pending a determination.
But Mr Osotsi told the Nation that he is not concerned by whatever decision the convention would take, while describing the meeting as illegal with no binding resolutions. He suggested plans to challenge any resolutions that would be made by the convention.
“The same people talking of removing me based on my absence are the same people who installed Oburu as party leader without his knowledge. You can see the contradiction. I am not bothered with what they will do because that meeting is illegal and unprocedurally convened,” said Mr Osotsi.
He confirmed that he will not attend the NDC.
“As Linda Mwananchi, we are very clear that we shall not participate in the Linda ground NDC because it is illegal and undemocratic. Those who have been locked out because of the scheme on the other side have the opportunity to attend the real people’s NDC, convened by Linda Mwananchi,” said Mr Osotsi.
Ms Wanga has, however, laughed off the planned parallel convention, saying there is no provision for a parallel NDC.
She explained that the party’s constitution establishes a clear hierarchy of organs, with the NDC as the supreme organ. The Homa Bay county boss said any meeting held outside the provided framework, without the authority of the NEC, is not binding on party members.
“A parallel meeting does not affect any decisions made by the legitimate party organs. That is an illegitimate gathering of dissenting members.”
He accused the Linda Mwananchi team of changing goal posts after allegedly realizing that they do not have the numbers to influence major decisions. Some of the members of the faction were in the forefront in demanding for an NDC.
“They agitated for an NDC, hoping to use it to settle personal scores, challenge the party leadership, and its decisions. When the party’s constitutional organs insisted on a structured agenda, they realized that they would not control the outcome,” said Ms Wanga.
“Their sudden opposition exposes their real motive: not the good of ODM, but their own political ambitions. The party will not be distracted by such theatrics.”
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