James Orengo: My problem with Ruto, Oburu and why Edwin Sifuna is fit to be president

The Siaya governor has cast his lot with the renegade "Linda Mwananchi" wing led by under-fire ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, even as loyalists accuse him of "activism to nowhere." He retorts that such critics are informed by state largesse, not the plight of the common citizen.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Nation’sRUSHDIE OUDIA, the veteran politician warns that any pre-election pact with President William Ruto is a "long con-game," dismisses the Deputy President slot sought by some ODM politicians as fool's gold, and predicts a political bloodbath in 2027 — when Raila's direct endorsement will no longer save careers. The old warrior is lighting a match and watching the house burn.

Why do you read foul play in Raila Odinga's death?

An inquest should be held into the death of Raila Odinga and should be presided over by a judge or a fully-fledged bench. I'm not just talking; I was involved in the Robert Ouko murder trial, and I could see the hand of the State in his death. I have been in many inquiries, and there are a lot of red flags around Raila's death, especially in the manner in which he was evacuated to India and how the body was flown back like a cargo. I do not think Raila went to India willingly. At an appropriate time, I will talk about it.

Many local politicians will not be able to defend their seats next year in the absence of Odinga, are you in that category?

Sometimes people forget that I went into mainstream politics before Raila, but with his absence, the coast is not clear. There are certain regions where ODM was the main party, but things have changed, and it is going to be an uphill task. ODM will have an uphill task getting political seats without Raila; it will not be an easy ride for those who were used to him carrying their hands. However, if we save ODM from brokers and from those who are doing business and transactions, then we believe Raila left enough structures that can steer us well.

What is your take on broad-based government?

It is not a coalition with ODM but basically an arrangement where some people entered into the Kenya Kwanza Government. It happens in the developed world, for instance, in the US, where a Republican president can invite a Democrat to be part of his cabinet. ODM as a political party is not in government, neither do we have a structural arrangement as we had during the Grand Coalition government, where we had a coalition management committee presided over by the president and the prime minister. We had equality of arms, and the strength of the cabinet was based on the powers of the political parties in terms of numbers.

Read:  Orengo, Sifuna, Babu launch rival rallies as ODM rift widens

What was Raila’s last direction to the party because there seems to be confusion whether to support President Ruto’s second term or not?

When Raila met members of parliament in Nairobi, he cautioned them about the two-term discussions and made the famous quote ‘Who told you that ODM will not field a presidential candidate?’ I remember one time when Raila was in Asembo and Uyoma for two funerals while I was away outside the country, Dr Oburu talked about being in government, and he threw the remarks back at the current party leader and said when it comes to broad-based, it is Oburu who knows.

Was Gladys Wanga promised a running-mate position (with Dr Ruto as Presidential candidate) when Baba was alive?

I don’t think there was ever anything that was promised to her in the context of ODM as a political party. I don’t think President Ruto ever went to Raila and said I am offering you the position of Deputy President. But I must tell you we are having a group of career and transactional politicians, who see such opportunities go berserk, yet everyone in that coalition is waiting for the same. But I do not think President Ruto will make the mistake of giving the DP position to another political party. That is how it works. You get the Deputy from the ruling government to secure continuity unless you have a structured coalition agreement.

Read: Deputy President or nothing: Oburu Oginga’s 2027 ODM bombshell to Ruto

Do you feel that ODM is ceding too much ground for UDA because of this arrangement?

Imagine an organ of the party is being convened, the head of the opposite party in the State House, How? The shame of it is that in the last set of elections, ODM could not get candidates in Kisii and Nyamira and right now we can see how badly we are doing in Western. People must remember that Raila had a following across the republic because of what he stood for and for standing with the downtrodden. But now with these transactional leaders, what is there to fight for, and this is what we want to reclaim and not allow ODM die a miserable death.

Where do you stand on the ongoing internal feuds within ODM?

I still believe there is no division in ODM and we remain one party whether Linda Mwananchi or Linda Ground. But we believe that ODM should be a united party with integrity, character, and with a vision and political ideals which must be maintained for the party to move forward. But there are people who have come into the picture, particularly those who have not been in politics for more than 10 or 15 years and are trying to turn politics into brokerage and transactions, making sweetheart deals with the party. To that end, there are two formations, Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi.

What is the difference between Linda Mwananchi and Linda Ground?

Linda ground are careerists who are prepared to make any deal with anybody so long as the pot of honey keeps flowing. They are the brokers, while the true spirit, ideology and the soul of the party is with Linda Mwananchi.

Some claim it is an exit strategy out of ODM for your camp. Is that the case?

People see in Linda Mwananchi a movement that truly represents their aspirations. It is not an exit strategy. If we wanted to walk out, we would do so, but I think we owe it to Raila that the party ODM does not fall into the hands of these hyenas or brokers, but remains a party for the broad masses.

Others accuse you of misleading the young ODM leaders…

This is disregarding young people, which to me is reactionary. Leaders have come from young people, and we are here as comrades and as a team.

There are those who think Edwin Sifuna should run for President in 2027. Should he?

Sifuna is fit to be the president of Kenya. There is recognition of his talent. It is not unheard of that there is a push for people to run for president. It is positive that in Linda Mwananchi, people are talking about one of its leaders being a presidential candidate.

The de facto leader, Sifuna, said the lobby is open to working with the United Opposition. Is that the general position?

There is no de facto leader, this is a movement with comrades. If you look at the MoU (agreement between UDA and ODM), it talks about the possibility of entering into a partnership with other political parties with the same values and principles, but does not confine it to UDA only. On that basis of principles, UDA is very far, but you must look at the context in which this MoU came about; the country was in turmoil. Other than ensuring the survival of UDA in the current term, it did not minimise or emasculate the political strength of ODM.

Don’t you fear working with the United opposition could jolt your re-election?

Let people not play this game of creating a scarecrow and saying we should not work with certain people. Ruto is now busy looking for partners everywhere in Mount Kenya, Western, Coast and North Eastern. As ODM, we should not reduce ourselves into this tiny corner around the lake; we shall not survive. We should build an inclusive state that does not go for political profiling that makes it difficult for us to operate as a country.

Is the United Opposition courting you as a possible co-principal representing Luo Nyanza?

There is nothing like that. If there was, I would talk about it. But I cannot say that it cannot happen.

Some say Linda Mwananchi is being sponsored by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Is that so?

Where is the evidence that he is sponsoring us? Those who are talking loudest against Uhuru Kenyatta were the closest people to him during the handshake era. One of them even said we are now part of the deep state, now they have transited from Uhuru to Ruto because to them, they have to be in power at whatever cost, a great tragedy for those who died for this country to have a multiparty system.

You also stand accused in ODM of only being interested in returning people back to the streets for maandamano for no valid reason. Is that the only brand of politics you know?

When was the last time I was on the streets? There is nothing wrong with protesting for a course. Given a chance, I would go back to the streets.

Aren’t you afraid you might be swept away by the broad-based wave like it happened in 2002 when you lost Ugenya seat after defying the Narc wave?

I am feeling comfortable, and I am right and do not need to be in a multitude. I have been there before and comfortable where I am. I am not worried; I cannot be isolated because I am the engine.

In 2013, Oburu was prevailed upon to pave the way for you. Some say, that created bad blood between you two. How do you relate with him?

Oburu was born in a political family but has always been in the background and never even tasted tear gas, stepped into a police station or been detained. It is not by accident that Raila was the true heir of Jaramogi. He is a good, honest man, but I think he is incapable of leading ODM in the right direction.... not if he is going to be manipulated by characters within the party whose major objective is personal interests.

Are you jealous of his elevation as the party leader because you thought you are more qualified to take over after Raila’s death?

I am not jealous of Oburu.

Do you have the ambition to be ODM party leader in the coming NDC (National Delegates Convention)?

Now we want a united party and should find a pathway to find a leadership that can enable us to have unity within the party. But I am not afraid to be the ODM Party leader even at this time of my political life. There is a lot to fight for that needs strong leadership, not a praise and worship team. We need fighters, people who can stand tall when called upon.

What do you make of the 10-point agenda signed between Raila and President Ruto?

There is nothing they can do within 10 days. March 7 is when the MoU expires and nothing can be done to extend it because one of the people who signed the agreement is not alive to sign or to renew it. For me it comes to an end and talking about it is a political mistake. The fact is the 10-point agenda is stillborn.

What happens at the expiry of it or after March 7?

There are those people who are dying to remain where they are because they are in their comfort zones and that MoU does not matter to them and they will continue to say they are in the broad-based government. If they are truly ODM members, it will be an abomination for the ODM experts to continue serving in Ruto’s government after March 7 when we still have abductions, extrajudicial killings, rising debts, unemployment and the high cost of living. That is why they are scared and have been going round to do an assessment of what has been done or not, but for us, we want to return the party where it belongs.

What have you done for Siaya since your election?

We have done a good job with the limited resources we have. In the last three years, we have done ring roads, tarmacked in Ndori, Siaya Town, Yala, Sega and are ongoing in Usenge for urban growth. We have constructed hospitals in Ugenya, Yala, Ukwala and a complex facility in Siaya. Look at the stadium, the only one with a tartan track in the region and in the area of agro industry, we have done a rice mill which is operational, and the next financial year we will build a cotton ginnery in Madiany in Rarieda.

Read: Of Edwin Sifuna, literature, republic and the rebel

What do you make of the return of Nicholas Gumbo, some in ODM are touting him as your ‘medicine’ to either force you back to fold or front him to oust you at the ballot next year?

If you look at my political history, before any election, I do not declare whether I will run or not. When I announce, I do it six months to the elections, but I wish there were better candidates running against me, not those who switched parties overnight just to run for the governorship. It means that the position is life and death, and when they fight for it, every time they feel they are close, they lose it. I am not scared, and the record that I have had from the beginning, having won against a cabinet minister in a one-party state, is out there.

Do you believe ODM can weather this storm and reclaim its lost glory?

I still believe that after Kanu, ODM remains a political machine and a truly national party with presence across the country. However, if not guarded well, to protect it from hostile manoeuvres and manipulations, we may suffer the consequences of not having Raila Amollo Odinga at the helm. If we are not careful, directly or indirectly, the main opponent in the political space will be manipulating and controlling political parties and those who fought hard to have multiparty like Masinde Muliro, Kenneth Matiba, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Raila Odinga, must be turning in their graves.

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