Raila Odinga plans Nyanza ODM leaders meeting in bid to consolidate party support

Cord leader Raila Odinga at a past rally. Mr Odinga moves to his stronghold in former Nyanza province on Friday to consolidate the party’s support. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • The party’s secretariat announced on Wednesday that Mr Odinga would chair a meeting of all ODM leaders and delegates drawn from the four counties of Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu.
  • ODM said Mr Odinga would hold similar meetings in other parts of the country in coming weeks.

Opposition party ODM leader Raila Odinga moves to his stronghold in the former Nyanza province on Friday to consolidate the party’s support.

This comes in the wake of growing rebellion from a section of politicians allied to Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.

The party’s secretariat announced on Wednesday that Mr Odinga would chair a meeting of all ODM leaders and delegates drawn from the four counties of Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu at the Amani Conference Centre in Oyugis.

“This Friday 14th November 2014, the party will hold the first of these meetings in Oyugis Township in Homabay County where all party officials from Homabay, Migori, Kisumu and Siaya counties have been invited,” read a statement from ODM Communications director Philip Etale.

“The ODM Party Leader Mr Raila Odinga will attend the meeting in which party members will be briefed on the progress by the Okoa Kenya team on why there is need for constitutional amendments and reasons to support the move,” Mr Etale said.

Mr Etale added that Mr Odinga would hold similar meetings in other parts of the country in the coming weeks.

“This is the first among many others our party leader will hold in various parts of the country to strengthen the party and consolidate its support at the grassroots level and appraise our members on the progress being made in the push for the referendum,” he added.

STRATEGY MEETING CANCELLED

On Wednesday, Mr Odinga cancelled a strategy meeting with his close allies at the ODM Secretariat and spent the better part of the day traversing his former constituency, Kibra.

An earlier communication sent out by the Homa Bay ODM branch had indicated that the meeting would only involve the branch’s delegates and would be held at the Homa Bay Farmers Training Centre, only for the venue to be shifted to Oyugis, 44 kilometres away.

Dr Kidero is also scheduled to hold a harambee in aid of Homa Bay High School in Homa Bay Town on Thursday, expected to be attended by several MPs and governors allied to the Nairobi governor.

Dr Kidero confirmed that he would preside over the harambee to raise funds to reconstruct four dormitories that were recently burnt down following a fire at Homa Bay High School.

“I will be the chief guest at the harambee in aid of Homa Bay High School. At the moment, I think rebuilding the four dormitories at the school is of utmost importance ahead of the Form One selection next January. I will be with the area governor,” said Dr Kidero.