ODM prepares for change of guard

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has planned a major internal reorganisation that could see some of its top leaders swept aside.

The move is part of wider plans to revamp the party, whose election campaigns in the last two elections have ended in pain and disappointment in the presidential race.

Former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende is among a group of leaders lined up for top positions in ODM’s new plan to rebrand and re-energise.

Party leader Raila Odinga has called a major meeting of party leaders to be held in Nairobi on Friday next week to strategise on changes aimed at ushering in a new crop of leaders.

Starting Monday, the party will be interviewing 10 applicants who will be contesting for the Executive Director’s position to replace Ms Janet Ongera, now a nominated senator. The successful candidate will be appointed after approval by the party’s National Governing Council meeting.

Approve the report

A letter to the party leaders by Secretary-General Anyang’ Nyong’o said: “Notice is hereby given that a National Governing Council shall be held on 5th July 2013”. The letter was addressed to all ODM branch chairmen, members of the party’s parliamentary group and all governors.

The governing council is expected to approve the report on reorganisation of the party, fill vacant national offices pending elections, and discuss ways to popularise the party.

On Sunday, Mr Marende told the Nation that he was yet to be approached by the ODM leadership to take up any position in the party.

“I have heard people talking about it — the common people discussing it here and there, but I am yet to be approached by anyone. My position is, however, that I am ready for any public office because I am a leader,” the former Speaker of the National Assembly said.

ODM sources said Mr Marende would be brought on board to replace former Cabinet minister Henry Kosgey, who lost his Tinderet seat.

Mr Marende’s return to active politics is expected to keep ODM’s popularity in western Kenya strong after an election that exposed its weaknesses in the region where the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord), in which ODM was an affiliate, was locked in a closely contested race for supremacy with the Amani Coalition led by Mr Musalia Mudavadi.

Other leaders to be brought on board include Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura, who is part of a youthful group of MPs lined up to replace the veteran politicians who have dominated Nyanza politics for decades.

Mr Odinga’s declining political fortunes have also been partly blamed on a clique of politicians accused of having mislead him into unpopular decisions that cost the party victory in the last election.

Members of committee

Mr Odinga was defeated by Jubilee Coalition’s Uhuru Kenyatta in the presidential race.

On Sunday, Butere MP Andrew Toboso — who is chairing the party’s parliamentary committee that is charged with planning the reorganisation of ODM — said the shift in leadership is part of the plan to revamp the party.

“Our recruitment of the party’s CEO today would give impetus to the generational issue. You can see how young people like Johnson Sakaja managed TNA to victory. We wouldn’t want to take any more risk this time round,” he said.

Other members of the committee are Junet Mohammed (Suna East), Aduma Awuor (Nyakach), Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Chache) and Women Representatives (Florence Mutua (Busia) and Joyce Lai (Taita).

Mr Mohammed said: “We are happy that the party leader has left the recruitment exercise purely on our hands and today, we will be striving to give the party the best. We want to end corruption and ineptitude in the management of ODM affairs and it will start with this process.”

Former assistant minister Magerer Langat, Kennedy Botiko, Beth Syengo, Amina Saidy, John Kimutai, Naftali Mogere, Nabbi Nabwera and Caesar Asiyo are among those set to be interviewed on Monday.