Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s campaign for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) is facing internal conflicts, with factions within his campaign secretariat vying for influence and control of resources.
Amid reports of financial constraints, these secret wars run the risk of diluting the effectiveness of strategic campaigns.
This comes as Mr Odinga is expected to begin "door-to-door campaign meetings with strategic leaders across the continent".
Mr Odinga's secretariat, now the victim of the fallout, is made up of officials from the President's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his own strategists, including diplomats and experts.
The team is headed by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Dr Korir Sing’oei, and former Kenya’s ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo.
Other members of the team include; former executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) Mahboub Maalim, Ambassador Anthony Okara, Prof Makau Mutua, former Nyeri deputy governor Dr Caroline Karugu and digital strategist Pauline Njoroge.
A member of the team confided to the Nation on Tuesday that the secretariat is facing internal conflicts as some members are yet to receive their monthly allowances, “even though they were included in the budget prepared in June this year.”
“Our stipend (not salary) as per the budget we developed in June, is an average of Sh400,000 per person, per month. There are 10 of us, that includes two administrative staff. Remember there are MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Office of the President staff as well, but they are salaried from their respective ministries,” a member of the secretariat told Nation.
If the monthly stipends were to be paid to the 10-member team, excluding members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the President's Office, from June when the budget was developed, this means that at least Sh20 million is owed to the team.
It is not clear whether the secretariat's financial problems may have prompted a lobby group dubbed; Friends of Baba Africa (Foba) to float the idea of a fundraiser, which the government distanced itself from in September.
Concerns had been raised over the fund raising dinner that had been planned for September 18 to help raise funds for Mr Odinga’s campaigns, raising questions on the government’s commitment to fund the initiative at the time.
When Nation reached out to Dr Sing’oei then, to establish whether they were part of the planned funds drive and if the government was still committed to finance the campaigns, he distanced the secretariat from it.
Dr Sing’oei then took to his X handle to dissociate the secretariat from the planned fund raising dinner, posting one of the invites that had been received by Nation.
“We disassociate the Secretariat of the Campaign of H.E. Raila Odinga from this fundraising effort,” the PS wrote.
But barely two months, a fierce fall out over alleged “cash squeeze,” at the secretariat has erupted.
Mr Odinga is facing Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Youssouf, former Mauritius Foreign Minster Anil Kumarsingh Gayan and his former Madagascar counterpart Richard James Randriamandrato in the race slated for February next year.
The four contenders are seeking to succeed Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat, the incumbent AUC chair.
Mr Odinga is expected to begin a shuttle diplomacy to various strategic nations as the campaigns for the regional post hit fever pitch.
Mr Odembo, the co-chair of his campaign team, however, downplayed reports of internal fallout, insisting that the campaigns are on course and that Mr Odinga is expected to begin his last lap drives to key nations from next week.
“The candidate will start a door-to-door campaign with strategic leaders to send his message across, that his agenda, more than anything else, is to work with each one of them individually and in their regional economic communities and collectively at the summit level to implement and accelerate things they have already resolved,” Mr Odembo said.
He went on: “You heard him say that almost 95 percent of the resolutions have not been implemented. He wants to remove all those roadblocks by engaging with the individual leaders.”
Whereas there were plans to have a private jet at his disposal for the campaigns which are entering fever pitch ahead of February polls, the budget is yet to be approved despite the secretariat receiving several quotations for the cost.
“The biggest cost is for hiring of private jet which estimate we have gotten as US$ 600,000 and have received several quotations. USD 600,000 is not little. Remember it is not possible at this point to visit 55 AU member countries. So the idea is make sure that a visit is made to strategic countries, but cover all the regions,” a source at the secretariat revealed to Nation.
The source reported that there were also concerns that despite financial challenges at the secretariat, several politicians were “facilitated” to the recent event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where Mr Odinga unveiled his vision and priorities for Africa.
“In fact we are told that they were flown in business class and their stay in luxurious hotels facilitated yet members of the secretariat are yet to received their monthly allowances.”
But Mr Odembo denied the claims that the secretariat catered for the leaders’ travel expenses to Ethiopia.
“Definitely not paid for by Secretariat. In fact, the only politician who notified me that he was coming is Hon (Walter) Owino (Awendo). The others wanted to surprise Baba (Mr Odinga) and he actually confirmed that it was a pleasant surprise,” Mr Odembo said.
Leaders who attended the event include; ODM Deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi, National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, Director of elections Junet Mohamed, Senate Minority whip Ledama Ole Kina, ODM Secretary of Political Affairs Rozah Buyu and deputy organizing secretary Ruth Odinga.
Others were; Senate majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Kisumu senator Tom Ojienda and Siaya deputy Governor William Oduol among other leaders.
On Monday, interviews with various members of the secretariat as well as close aides of Mr Odinga painted a grim picture of the campaigns where money is controlled by “unknown government institution which only provides it at will, especially to cater for the candidate’s programmes, while leaving his team at the behest of well-wishers.”
Another source pointed out that a security organ of the State appears to have usurped the role of the secretariat and was running the show.
“It is a sad state of affairs. Things are not rosy as people outside here might think. Our only fear is that a huge allocation might de declared at the end of the campaigns which we might not be able to defend.”
Some staff of the secretariat are said to have nearly been left out of the Addis launch last week due to delayed travel plans.
