Oburu now dares Ruto to quit ODM

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on Saturday dared Eldoret MP William Ruto to leave the party, vowing that it will still sweep Rift Valley votes come 2012.

Finance assistant minister Dr Oburu Oginga, the elder brother of Prime Minister Raila Odinga, said ODM remained strong on Mr Ruto’s Rift Valley home turf despite his poor relations with the party’s leader.

“The recent opinion polls released indicated that the PM was a force to reckon with in Rift Valley and his (Ruto’s) departure to a new party is like a drop of ink in the ocean,” Dr Oginga told his constituents while on a tour of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects at Oele beach in Usigu division.

Dr Oginga said that ODM had all along known what he called Mr Ruto’s political mischief and was well prepared for his departure.

“We should not be shaken about Ruto moving or joining a new party, what we should focus on is how the party can be re-energised to increase its command at the grassroots,” said Dr Oginga.

Dr Oginga’s remarks come against the backdrop of reports of moves by Mr Ruto’s allies to take over the United Democratic Movement (UDM) by elbowing out the party chairman, General (Rtd) John Koech, an ally of Mr Odinga.

The party’s national executive council met last week and replaced Gen (Rtd) Koech with former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) chairman John Chirchir, an ally of Mr Ruto.

Political analysts say the move was aimed at setting the stage for the suspended minister and his allies to cross over. But Mogotio constituency ODM chairman Kiptum Binott termed the move counter-productive to Mr Ruto’s 2012 presidential bid.

“This is just a political outfit without any influence outside Rifty Valley,” said Mr Binnott, also a nominated councillor.

He said that the days when a few people would meet in hotels and decide the destiny of a community were long gone.

Mr Binott, an ally of nominated MP Musa Sirma, wondered why UDM had to replace Gen (Rtd) Koech with a fellow Kipsigis if it intended to garner support across the country.

But Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui dismissed claims that UDM was not a national party. He also downplayed reports that Gen (rtd) Koech was removed from the party leadership because of his being a close ally of Mr Odinga.

“The elections were conducted in a transparent and democratic manner. In fact Koech himself has not complained,” said Mr Kiptanui.

Asked if Mr Ruto would use UDM as his vehicle for 2012, Mr Kiptanui was non-committal saying that it was still early to make such a decision.

Cabinet minister Hellen Sambili, the only UDM MP in parliament also downplayed reports that Mr Ruto was headed to the little-known party.