ODM leader Raila Odinga when he met party women leaders on July 31.
Fresh from the departure of key figures who are set to join the government of President William Ruto, the ODM party is caught in another delicate balancing act as it seeks to fill slots left vacant outside Parliament.
At stake are positions of party chairman previously held by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee John Mbadi, deputy party leaders, previously held by Hassan Joho (Mining CS nominee) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives CS nominee), and secretary for political affairs previously held by Mr Opiyo Wandayi, CS nominee for Energy.
The scheming and counter-scheming is happening in and outside Parliament.
Last week, party leader Raila Odinga met Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and his Kisii counterpart Simba Arati, who are said to have their eyes trained on the deputy party leader slots.
But just as it looked like the two would have their way, things got more complicated.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga entered the race, arguing that ODM is doing badly when it comes to putting women in critical leadership positions.
“There is no substantive position held by a woman. All top positions in the party are held by men,” she rightly pointed out.
Ms Wanga is currently the chairperson of ODM in her county. “I am going for one of the deputy party leader positions,” the governor said.
“There is never a vacuum in an ideology. Someone will always be able to pop up. If I have been fronted then I am glad those who are doing so have seen perhaps the level of loyalty and capacity,” Mr Nassir said when asked about his ambitions.
The Central Committee, the main decision-making organ of the party, which met twice last month, is almost entirely made up of men.
Until this week, it is composed of Mr Odinga, Mr Oparanya, Mr Joho, Mr Mbadi, Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, Treasurer Timothy Bosire, Mr Wandayi and Mr Junet Mohammed, among others.
Only Ms Beth Syengo sits on the committee as secretary of the Women's League.
To represent governors
Ms Wanga was recently incorporated to represent governors.
On Wednesday, Ms Wanga secured the support of ODM women parliamentarians and leaders from Homa Bay County to vie for one of the deputy party leader positions.
At the Coast, where Mr Nassir had hoped to replace Mr Joho, parliamentarians endorsed Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro instead.
Mr Arati is seen as trying to get the deputy party leader position as a stepping stone to the party leader, a position he vied for in the botched 2014 ODM elections.
“ODM remains the party, President William Ruto remains our competitor. We will make sure the party is strong and competes with Kenya Kwanza when the time comes,” said Mr Arati.
On the other hand, Western leaders hold that Mr Oparanya’s slot must be kept in the region, although there is a proposal that the region gets one of the vice chair positions and retains secretary-general.
The jostling comes just after the party proposed those to fill parliamentary leadership slots, which left a number of MPs unhappy after losing out.
On Wednesday, the Central Committee said it will be proposing to the Azimio Parliamentary Group that Mr Mohamed takes up the role of Minority Leader vacated by Mr Wandayi, as Ms Millie Odhiambo takes up the role of Minority Whip.
Mr Caleb Amisi is to take up the role of Chairman of Public Accounts Committee left vacant by Mr Mbadi as Mr Wilberforce Oundo takes up the vicechair of the Public Investments Committee. MPs George Aladwa, Jared Okelo and James Nyikal, among others, were angling for the slots.
Mr Odinga is said to have held back from filling the slots on Wednesday and instead tasked the interested parties to build consensus in their regions before a decision can be taken.
Other than allowing the occupants the leverage to make key decisions about the day-to-day running of the outfit, strategic party positions also accord holders an upper hand during party primaries.
It’s a matter of life and death to the aspirants especially in party strongholds.
