Leaders split on loyalty to Raila Odinga ahead of polls
East Africa Legislative Assembly MP Oburu Oginga, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, Alego Usonga politician Nicholas Kut and former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo.
Two political factions have emerged in Siaya County ahead of the 2022 elections following misunderstandings arising from the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
County Senator James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo came under sharp criticism for poking holes in certain provisions of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
The two leaders had raised concerns over the proposal to create 70 new constituencies through the BBI Bill.
Despite their meeting with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga for a truce on Monday, in which they were accompanied by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who had expressed similar sentiments, the leaders are becoming isolated by their colleagues as 2022 line-ups take shape.
One of the camps is led by Mr Orengo while the other is headed by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, both of who are eyeing the Siaya governor seat.
On Mr Orengo’s side is Mr Amollo, Alego Usonga MP Samwel Atandi and his Gem counterpart Elisha Odhiambo. Siaya Speaker George Okode is also said to lean towards this camp.
Mr Wandayi, on the other hand, is said to have the support of Ugenya MP Dave Ochieng’, who is the party leader of the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG-Kenya), East Africa Legislative Assembly MP Oburu Oginga, Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda, former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and Alego Usonga politician Nicholas Kut.
Dr Kut, who is said to have the support of the top ODM leadership, recently came into the limelight after chaos erupted at a meeting that was attended by Mr Orengo and Mr Atandi in Alego Usonga after the latter denied him a chance to speak.
“It was wrong to deny me an opportunity to address my people as that is undemocratic. That was the reason for the misunderstanding,” Dr Kut said.
Mr Midiwo has challenged Senator Orengo to state where his loyalty lies, adding that there is a clique of Mr Odinga’s lieutenants who are out to betray him and must be kicked out of his inner circle.
“They belong to the group that want Raila to retire from politics, but we won’t give them a chance since we’re aware of their plot to betray him as they don’t want him to be President,” Mr Midiwo said.
Mr Wandayi’s camp is campaigning on the Raila Odinga loyalty platform and the ODM party. They have warned the other faction to either “shape up or ship out” if they can’t toe the party line.
Mr Odhiambo, the Gem legislator, however, insists that divergent views in ODM are mundane, comparing it to “siblings competing for breast milk.”
“I know Jim (Mr Orengo) is extremely loyal to Jakom (Mr Odinga)... airing divergent opinions does not amount to being a traitor… it’s a sign of a mature democracy. It’s a health check for our party that we love and cherish,” Mr Odhiambo said.
Siaya Senator James Orengo, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, Alego Usonga MP Samwel Atandi and Rarieda legislator Otiende Amollo.
Mr Wandayi differs. “We have got only one leader, which is none other than Raila Odinga. Once he has given us direction, just like he has done on the matter of BBI, we have got no choice but to give support to that position,” he said.
Mr Ochanda, the Bondo MP added: “They (parties) have structures and so those of us who may be down must follow and agree in terms of leadership with those who are up. That’s why they are up there.”
No respect
“We must follow exactly what our leadership says and what our leadership brings in front of us,” he said, adding that those who go against the party position “like Mr Orengo’s camp” have no respect “for our leadership”.
Dr Oginga, who is eyeing the Siaya Senate seat, said that constitution-making is a matter of give and take.
“No document can be 100 percent perfect. It will still be amended because a constitution is a living document. It’s a give-and-take document, so you can’t expect everything you vouched for to be included,” Dr Oginga said.
He added: “As long as the main things like strengthening devolution are there, we support it.”
An ODM source told the Nation that Mr Orengo was concerned over his position in Mr Odinga’s inner circle and whether he would be supported for the gubernatorial seat, which could be the“cause of his perceived revolt.
“He’s said to be driven by anger that he is not really at the table where Raila and Uhuru make critical decisions with regardto their plans,” the source said.
He went on: “The concern is that the two may be trying a replay of the Kijana Wamalwa-Raila Odinga rivalry of the 1990s and that’s why he must be countered.”
