From left: Hassan Joho, Junet Mohamed, Edwin Sifuna, ODM party leader Raila Odinga and Wycliffe Oparanya during a press briefing in Nairobi on July 2, 2024.
The ODM Joint Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting failed to reach a decision on the proposed broad engagement with President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza government.
Sources within the party told Nation.Africa that after Secretary General Edwin Sifuna read out the Central Management Committee resolutions, party leader Raila Odinga also called on Siaya Governor James Orengo to give his perspective.
The Governor is reported to have cautioned the party that joining Ruto's government could turn out to be a poisoned chalice.
Those present are said to have endorsed Mr Orengo's pre-conditions, in line with the demands of the Kenyan youths, before the party agrees to work with President Ruto.
In an interview, Mr Orengo explained that his presentation contained the 'irreducible minimums' that the ODM party and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition say must be met for any talks to take place.
Among the pre-conditions endorsed by the party's Central Management Committee include the creation a conducive environment for the National Convention.
According to Mr Orengo, the youth in the country should be allowed to continue with the peaceful protests as enshrined in the Kenyan constitution.
Police brutality, including the use of live bullets and tear gas canisters against protesters, must also be addressed in accordance with a court order issued last month.
Other conditions that Mr Orengo proposed include the withdrawal of charges and the unconditional release of those arrested during demonstrations in recent weeks and last year.
"We want the families of those killed or injured during last year's demonstrations to be properly compensated. Those who have hospital bills should have them waived or settled and those who have lost their property be compensated too,” said Mr Orengo.
He also demanded that action be taken against top police commanders and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki for overseeing the deaths and injuries of innocent protesters.
"Before any form of talks, we want police officers who committed acts of brutality and killings to be arrested and prosecuted. The resignation of the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome is not enough, we want the Nairobi area police boss Adamson Bungei sacked and all of them, including Prof Kindiki, prosecuted," he said.
Mr Orengo told Nation.Africa that another critical condition he proposed was an immediate freeze on the backdoor taxes introduced after the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024, such as the Road Maintenance Levy and all others that are likely to overburden Kenyans.
He said that there must be timelines for meeting the preconditions and that any discussion or resolution reached must be enshrined in law and the Constitution so that the National Convention does not end up being a talk shop.
"We also think that some of the preconditions of the people should not be disregarded because all this is to create a conducive environment for the talks. The government can also put its own on the table before the talks," said Orengo.
Shortly after Mr Orengo's presentation, MPs and Senators voiced their concerns, warning Mr Odinga that this is not the time to give President Ruto a hearing when he has been blowing hot and cold in recent engagements, including the National Dialogue talks.
In a blow-by-blow account of what transpired at the charged ODM meeting at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation on Wednesday, members who spoke to Nation.Africa revealed how they urged Mr Odinga not to play into President Ruto's hands.
Nyamira Senator Okongo Omogeni and his Kisii counterpart Richard Onyonka are also said to have made their case by revisiting past incidents where they said Mr Odinga was duped into working with the government of the day which later turned against him.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera is also reported to have warned Mr Odinga that rushing into President Ruto's government would amount to betrayal of the Kenyan youth, whose issues are not alien to those previously raised by the opposition.
He asked Mr Odinga not to go the Government of National Unity way as advocated by the Kenya Kwanza government.
"The GNU route is to abrogate the constitution. It is tantamount to creating a one-party state. Parliament would be moribund without an official opposition," Mr Nabwera argued.
He such political infidelity in the regime of former President Uhuru Kenyatta produced some of the worst laws.
Echoing Mr Nabwera's call for a 360-degree approach to issues in line with the inevitable change being championed by the youth, the meeting appeared to be split between pro-government and pro-GEN Z, with speakers arguing the pros and cons of any decision.
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga is reported to have taken on former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed for urging Mr Odinga to blindly join the government.
She is also said to have urged the pair to re-focus their energies on campaigning for Mr Odinga's chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC).
Ms Ruth reportedly went ahead to remind the party leader of the rich Odinga legacy and why it was important not to erode through a 'secret handshake' with President Ruto.
The MPs revealed to Nation.Africa that these sentiments did not go down well with Mr Joho and Mr Mohamed, who accused their colleagues of charting a path to anarchy led by Gen Zs.
Mr Joho is said to have berated Ms Odinga over Mr Odinga’s AUC candidature.
On his part, Mr Mohamed said his role as the Minority Whip is to implement the party's resolutions and therefore, he would abide by what is agreed on by the members.
