Raila Odinga’s party plans 9-day mass recruitment drives
ODM party leader Raila Odinga with party Chairman John Mbadi (L) and party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna during the ODM National Governing Council meeting held in Nairobi on March 1, 2019.
What you need to know:
- ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna says the forums will be used by the party to recruit new members.
- The consultative forums in at least nine counties will be led by party’s top brass.
- ODM is planning to hold its grassroots elections in April.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has lined up a series of consultative forums in at least nine counties starting Monday amid threats of another round of street protests over high taxation.
The forums will double up as a platform for ODM mass membership recruitment aimed at revamping the outfit in readiness for its planned April grassroots elections.
The ODM Central Management Committee meeting chaired by Mr Odinga on Wednesday announced that the party’s top brass will pitch tent in Busia County on Monday to kick off a nine-day recruitment drive and consultative meetings.
On Tuesday, Mr Odinga will lead the party in yet another meeting and recruitment drive in Vihiga County before moving to Bungoma on Wednesday.
On January 22, the party will move to the Coast and hold its first meeting in Lamu before moving to Tana River and Kilifi on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Mr Odinga and his troops will then move to Taita-Taveta, Kwale and Mombasa on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, in that order.
ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna said the engagements will be led by Mr Odinga, top party officials and elected leaders.
“As we continue to regroup and revamp, the Central Committee has proposed a calendar of events for the month of January. The party grassroots recruitment that started last year shall continue with events in these areas,” said Mr Sifuna in a statement. “These recruitment drives shall also be accompanied by consultative forums.”
On December 30, 2023, Mr Odinga called on the government to withdraw the Finance Act 2023 or else he would mobilise his supporters to demonstrate.
“The cost of living is high. We told them not to increase the taxes but they have continued doing the opposite. The Finance Act must be repealed in its entirety. If they do not do it, we will go back to the streets.” Mr Odinga said.
The party has been running a mass membership drive since last year in various parts of the country, with officials describing the exercise as a long-term plan to strengthen the outfit and position it as the party of choice ahead of the next elections.
“We will do our party elections in April, and then do a national delegate’s convention between May and June this 2024,” Mr Odinga said.
National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi said the plan is to project the outfit as the only saviour for Kenyans.
“The response to the ongoing registration has been enormous, especially from the youth who want to identify with ODM, which is the only known progressive party,” Mr Wandayi said.
ODM has also complained of an attempt by the Kenya Kwanza administration to stifle the operations of political parties by denying them funds.
“In its very first supplementary budget in September 2023, the regime cut funds allocated to parties by over 60 per cent. This year the onslaught has continued with further cuts. This is a clear demonstration of the regime’s intent to cripple all key institutions of democracy, from Parliament to the Judiciary to the political parties,” said Mr Sifuna.
