ODM’s top organ holds meeting to stem rebellion, fallout in party

From left: Siaya Senator James Orengo, his Machakos counterpart Johnson Muthama, Cord leader Raila Odinga and Nominated MP Oburu Odinga at the coalition's prayer rally at Kirembe Grounds in Kisumu on June 2, 2016. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • ODM is facing an internal storm following a new wave of rebellion started by its secretary-general Ababu Namwamba, vice-chairman Paul Otuoma and a number of MPs from Western Kenya.
  • The party's leader Raila Odinga is said to have made attempts to reach out to the two former ardent allies feared to be backsliding from the party’s mainstream but it is unclear whether he convinced them to attend Wednesday's meeting of the central management committee, a powerful party organ chaired by Mr Odinga himself.

ODM will holds a meeting of its central management committee amidst a rebellion by some leaders from the Coast and Western regions.

The agenda given for Wednesday’s meeting is reconstituting the electoral board, but the unrest shown by some MPs and national officials must have been crucial in setting it up.

Mr Odinga’s party is facing an internal storm following a new wave of rebellion started by its secretary-general Ababu Namwamba, vice-chairman Paul Otuoma and a number of MPs from Western Kenya.

The party's leader is said to have made attempts to reach out to the two former ardent allies feared to be backsliding from the party’s mainstream but it is unclear whether he convinced them to attend Wednesday's meeting of the central management committee, a powerful party organ chaired by Mr Odinga himself.

“We will have a central management committee meeting. We want everyone to come and say their problems there,” Mr Odinga said.

Party insiders are split down the middle on whether Mr Odinga should reach out to Mr Namwamba a former foot soldier who has lately shown disinterest in the party activities.

Some of Mr Odinga’s allies feel that Mr Namwamba is blackmailing Mr Odinga and could have probably fallen prey to external forces keen on cracking Mr Odinga’s Orange party in the same formation applied when Mr Musalia Mudavadi was lured out in 2012.

There are those who feel Mr Namwamba is being thankless after benefiting from Mr Odinga politically-they are urging Mr Odinga to find a way of accommodating Dr Otuoma and let go of the youthful Bundalangi lawmaker.

One ODM MP said Mr Namwamba should thank Mr Odinga for fishing him out from a fellowship in the UK, helping his election to Parliament, made him a minister and ODM secretary-general.

But it is this kind of attitude which Mr Namwamba finds insulting and patronising and which, he says, has become annoying.

Mr Odinga had previously invited Dr Otuoma to his home after the lawmaker started showing signs of open defiance.

On Tuesday, both Dr Otuoma and Mr Namwamba could not be reached for comments-the Funyula MP said he was too engaged in parliamentary business while his Budalangi counterpart did not respond to calls and text messages from the Nation.

ROUTINE MEETING

But the party's chairman Mr John Mbadi said: “The meeting we will be having tomorrow is a routine one. Mr Namwamba is a member. Our agenda is mainly the matter of the ODM national elections board. But If Mr Namwamba raises some of the issues we have seen him talk about lately then of course this is the right forum for such”.

Among concerns raised by Mr Namwamba includes failure by the party to deal with the issue of electoral reforms and the rigidity by some party officials in getting rid of some election board officials said to have failed.

Mr Namwamba has also complained that his office has been watered down and assignments distributed to the offices of Director of Elections held by Suna East MP Junet Mohammed and Political Affairs Secretary held by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandai.

“There is a lot of work in Mr Namwamba’s office. I wished he was able to just get back to work,” Mr Mbadi responded.

The Suba MP denied claims that he has been undermining his colleagues by visiting their areas without notifying. He said that that he has only been doing his work as party chairman which requires him to work with various party organs from the national to the grassroots.

“But as for whether I have declared support for the Homa Bay governor. It should be understood that I have interest in Homa Bay County. What I have said is that I have asked other candidates for governorship in the area not to come for my vote because I support Cyprian Awiti. I will not say the same for any other seat or any other governor,”Mr Mbadi said.

He said that Wednesday's meeting will look into a proposal that requires all ODM Secretariat staff other than the Executive Director to re-apply for their jobs.

Busia woman representative Florence Mutua called for internal resolution of grievances saying ideological differences should not be seen as rivalry or enmity.

“As a matter of fact, our enemy is not the chairman of the party but Jubilee. As a party, it’s normal to have differences but this must be addressed within the house,” she said.

Matayos MP Geoffrey Odanga and Busia County Assembly Majority Leader Josphat Wandera called for dialogue to resolve the issues raised.