‘Young Turks’ push for ODM polls

Youthful MPs in ODM are agitating for party elections in which they hope to remove officials they regard as the old guard and whom they blame for the party’s poor showing in the March 4 General Election.

The group is agitating for elections in order to inject “youthful energy which will improve the party’s performance in politics”.

The MPs, who want Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o replaced as secretary-general, are also targeting other bigwigs who they say have served the party for a long time and should pave the way for fresh blood.

Ugenya MP David Ochieng told the Sunday Nation that judging from the 2007 and 2013 election outcomes, ODM should put up new structures to ensure it is successful in future political contests.

“The problem is that when such situations arise, they are attributed to infighting within a party. We only want to initiate reforms in the party and this should not be seen as a fight between the young and the old,” said Mr Ochieng.

The legislator said the law has institutionalised political parties to make them responsive to the needs of members.

“The drive to restructure ODM party is meant to introduce vibrancy and youthful energy, but we will consider retaining some elderly officials because they are experienced,” said Mr Ochieng.

Mbita MP Millie Odhiambo said the priority of ODM should be to get a reform-minded secretary-general who will introduce new ideas to sustain party growth and development.

She said there was nothing unusual about the timing of the elections because the law requires that elections be held every five years.

“We held the last elections in 2008. Five years have elapsed and these positions must be contested in a free and fair manner,” Ms Odhiambo said.

“Raila will remain the party leader. We don’t want to stifle this debate of young people coming up to take up the management of the party on grounds that the leadership is old; all we want is a chance for vibrancy which is needed at this point in time in order to deliver results,” she said.

But not everyone is buying the idea of a leadership change. Another group of ODM MPs are questioning the timing and the strategy, saying they are not right.

Ugunja MP James Wandayi and his Nyando counterpart Fred Outa said it was too early for the MPs to start the drive.

“The focus of ODM at the moment is to put the Jubilee Government in check in and outside Parliament. Initiating party politics now will weaken our role of keeping the government in check,” said Mr Wandayi.

The legislator said the approach adopted by the young MPs is wrong because it is using age as a factor in leadership, a strategy, he added, that would impact negatively on the image of the party.

“We don’t want youth to stand out as the only claim to leadership; current party leadership is about ideological orientation, whether presented by young or old people from all regions in Kenya,” he said.

Prof Olang Sana, a political science lecturer at Maseno University, believes it is time the old guard in ODM made way for youthful officials.

“Young people are more flexible compared to the old ones who have already lost popularity at the grassroots. The old leaders would want to maintain the status quo that has always delivered poor results for the party and therefore need to be replaced,” said Prof Olang.
The don compared ODM to parties in other regions in Kenya where leadership includes young people.

“From the nomination exercise that saw young leaders win elections after decamping from ODM, the timing for the ODM party elections is right,” the don said.