Raila denies chaos was planned

What you need to know:

  • Party members, among them Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba, have said that the violence was organised by their rivals and have even named former officials as having been behind the goons who disrupted the election.
  • Mr Nawmwamba also challenged insinuations that they were set to abandon ODM in the event that they lost. He said his team will stand by Mr Odinga at whatever cost adding that they are targeting the 2017 election.

Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga yesterday denied claims that the violence which torpedoed party elections was planned.

He said the purported divisions in ODM do not exist and that they have emerged stronger through the recently constituted committee.

“I have now put the generals together and will form a formidable team that will make us get to power come 2017,” he said during a funds drive to salvage the troubled Jua Kali sector in Kisumu.

His comments come as his ally Senator Otieno Kajwang’ said the party expected fracas at Kasarani during the national delegates convention (NDC) meeting.

“We expected what happened although we didn’t expect that it would end up the way it ended. They did it in many ways,” he said blaming enemies of ODM for the fiasco.

Party members, among them Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba, have said that the violence was organised by their rivals and have even named former officials as having been behind the goons who disrupted the election.

TEAM FRESH

The officials, according to these explanations, were afraid to “lose” the party to Mr Namwamba and other members of his Team Fresh faction, among them Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.
Team Fresh put up a highly visible, helicopter campaign for the party leadership.

On Sunday, Mr Namwamba was given a rousing welcome when he joined Mr Odinga, Nairobi governor Evans Kidero and his Kisumu counterpart Jack Ranguma to the fundraising.

Mr Nawmwamba also challenged insinuations that they were set to abandon ODM in the event that they lost. He said his team will stand by Mr Odinga at whatever cost adding that they are targeting the 2017 election.

“We want tell those who think that we can be separated from the umbrella of Raila Odinga that they are dreaming,” said Mr Namwamba.

He said Mr Odinga needs able generals to escort him to war during the 2017 elections .

“I am ready to be part of that team. We will not be swayed as Raila remains the only undisputed leader in the party,” he said.

Mr Namwamba said signs of Jubilee failing were rife adding that ODM must take advantage of the confusion to clinch power.

The meeting brought together Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, Siaya Senator James Orengo, Awendo MP Jared Kopiyo, Nyakach politician Erick Okeyo among other ODM MPs who were bickering before the party elections.

But Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang accused some MPs in the party of being used by enemies of ODM to sow divisions. He cited the use of more than six choppers during the party campaigns.

“We have never seen such a campaign before. When we campaigned in 2013, our flag bearer Raila Odinga was only able to use one chopper. During the recent campaign to pick Raila’s deputy, we saw over six choppers at ago,” he said.

CHRONOLOGY

Interim team holds meeting

February 28: More than 2,000 party members come to Kasarani for the National Delegates Convention (NDC) meeting. The exercise is disrupted by men ferried to the stadium.
March 3: Warring factions meet at Orange House where they agree to form an interim team to manage party
March 6: Interim team hold first meeting