Raila Odinga's replacement in Azimio must come from ODM, James Orengo says
Siaya Governor James Orengo.
Siaya Governor James Orengo has insisted that the next leader of the Azimio la Umoja Coalition One Kenya Party, should Mr Raila Odinga win the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC), must come from the Orange Democratic Movement.
According to Mr Orengo, the leadership of the coalition after Mr Odinga's exit will be determined by the strength of one's party within the outfit.
This casts a shadow over the possibility of Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka automatically taking over after Mr Odinga.
The Siaya governor was speaking at the anniversary service of his nephew, James Orengo, who is named after him at Sifuyo in West Ugenya.
“The next Azimio party leader is subject to discussion; however, it must reflect the strength of the party within the outfit. That is not only in the standing orders but also in the Azimio instruments. The ODM party is, by far, a major stakeholder in the coalition,” said the county boss.
His sentiments come at a time when members of the Azimio coalition expressed dissatisfaction when four senior officials were nominated to serve in President Ruto’s Cabinet with the ruling party; the majority felt like the Orange party ought to officially join the government.
“The rules and the standing orders at the national assembly and the senate, nominations in terms of seats of both the houses depend on the strength of the political parties within the coalition. The same rules apply as lawyers would say ‘mutatis mutandis’ which means what is applied in the senate and the national assembly prevails in the manner in which individual member parties belonging to a coalition are given seats,” said Mr Orengo.
As Mr Odinga waited for his fate in the quest for the AUC chair seat last year, his position which will remain vacant is speculated to be taken over by the Wiper party leader after Narc Kenya leader, Martha Karua, issued a notice of walking out of the coalition.
Mr Orengo claimed that the positions in the national assembly that were occupied by Ugunja lawmaker Opiyo Wandayi and John Mbadi were seats designated for the Orange party and as such it is prudent for them to be retained within the outfit.
“Nothing has changed in the national assembly leadership. The individuals who were nominated and accepted to serve as CSs, the new people who have been appointed to replace them in those positions are also from ODM,” he added.
This statement by the Siaya governor who is among those in the kitchen cabinet of Mr Odinga may stretch the relationship between ODM and the other political parties in the coalition.
The decision to have a national convention with the ruling party seemed to have angered the other parties within the opposition outfit and further pushed Ms Karua to express the desire to get out of the coalition terming her stay as “untenable”.
The decision was communicated in a letter addressed to the Azimio coalition secretary-general by Narc Kenya acting secretary-general Asha Bashir.
“Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments,” she said in the letter.
“As Narc Kenya by way of this letter, we are giving notice to exit the Coalition as stipulated in the exit clause (s) in the Coalition Agreement. This notice is effective from the date of this letter,” the letter stated further.
