The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has planned a major convention in Western Kenya on February 28 aimed at strengthening the party’s grip amid President William Ruto’s intensified charm offensive.
The convention that is expected to bring together 10,000 delegates will follow a regional leaders meeting in Kakamega on Sunday February 9, and a Central Committee meeting to harmonise party position over links with Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), ODM Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi said on Sunday.
On February 27, the ODM brigade is also expected in Bungoma County to preside over the opening of a party office.
Even though Mr Osotsi stated that the February 28 convention's goal is to discuss ways to strengthen the party in the region, its timing, on February 28, just after the election of the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, for which party leader Mr Raila Odinga is vying, speaks volumes.
Mr Odinga will face off with Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and former Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard James Randriamandrato in the elections scheduled for February 15 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The ODM party had last year designated Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o as the interim leader as Mr Odinga excused himself to concentrate on the AUC campaigns.
The party remains hopeful that Mr Odinga will be victorious, but in the event he fails to clinch the coveted continental post, he is expected to make a comeback and take up the ODM leadership from Prof Nyong’o.
There have, however, been concerns with the push by a section of party officials to back President Ruto’s government, following his co-option of top leadership into his broad-based government.
Those who joined President Ruto's Cabinet are former ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, former ODM National Chairman John Mbadi and former Secretary of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi as well as former member of the party's elections board Beatrice Askul.
“The issue of us engaging in a relationship with UDA has not been canvassed within the structures of ODM party. In ODM, every decision is processed through the organs of the party,” Mr Osotsi said on Sunday.
“We shall soon roll out aggressive party activities in Western Kenya and next Sunday, February 9, we shall meet regional leaders in Kakamega … and have also organised regional convention to bring together 10,000 ODM delegates from Western Kenya on February 28 in Busia County.”
The Western offensive is seen as a plan by ODM to counter any possible gains by President Ruto’s UDA during his recent six-day tour of the region.
During the tour, the Head of State issued Sh150 million in bonuses to the farmers as part of the Kenya Kwanza administration's initiative to revitalise the sugar industry, among other goodies.
The tour came a few days after the president’s UDA party merged with Amani National Congress (ANC) party associated with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi .
“Our meetings will bring together all governors, senators, MPs, MCAs and five key officials from every constituency to deliberate on matters to further strengthen ODM in western region,” Mr Osotsi said.
“Our friends from ANC, who have been swallowed by UDA, have been spreading misinformation particularly in Vihiga County that they have gone into a merger with UDA because ODM is also headed towards that direction.
“Let them look for a better excuse to explain why they have merged with UDA and stop spreading this misinformation. ODM cannot be swallowed. This is a party that is now part of the heritage in this country and cannot make any decision without consultation with its members.”
Mr Osotsi has been on a tour of Western, meeting party officials and on Saturday he visited Busia County where he as hosted by Governor Paul Otuoma. He was in Vihiga on Sunday.
“ODM will convene a meeting of its central committee to discuss our position. We want to speak in one voice. As ODM we are not in any coalition with any other party for 2027, we shall do that at the opportune time. We are asking our members to remain united,” Mr Osotsi noted.
Mr Otuoma pointed out that ODM must speak with one voice to avoid sending mixed signals to the public.
“As a party we have our ideologies which we must respect. It is not right to see top leadership speak at variance,” he said.
ODM co-deputy party leader and Kisii Governor Simba Arati had on Friday come to the defense of ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna in the wake of attacks over his hard stance against President Ruto’s administration.
The firebrand ODM secretary-general has ruled out any possible alliance between ODM and the president’s UDA ahead of the 2027 elections.
In an exclusive interview with the Nation, Mr Sifuna explained that ODM would only enter into an alliance with “like-minded” parties whose ideology bears similarity with ODM’s “pro-people policies.”
“The nature of our politics sometimes requires that we enter into strategic arrangements with like-minded political parties. Key phrase being like-minded. The political parties whose ideology bears similarity with ODM’s pro people policies are known. Those should be the ones we seek to work with, not those that oppress the people,” Mr Sifuna charged.
Mr Arati came to Mr Sifuna’s defence, stating that the Nairobi Senator’s remarks reflect the true position of the party.
“There are people insulting Edwin Sifuna, but I want to say that as the secretary-general of ODM, Sifuna is the spokesperson of the party,” Mr Arati said during a funeral in Ekerenyo, Nyamira County.
“The ODM spokesperson is none other than Sifuna, and when you hear Sifuna speak, that is the party’s position.”
He noted that despite ODM contributing ‘experts’ to the Kenya Kwanza government, the party has not entered into an alliance with President Ruto’s UDA and as such was not in government.
“Let me speak as the deputy party leader of ODM. We provided experts to the government, but we are not part of it,” said Mr Arati.
“We have told the president that he is our brother, and we will ensure the government delivers, but as ODM, we are not in his government.”
