ODM to hold rallies in Narok and Kisumu

ODM will start four days of political rallies in Narok and Kisumu.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, whose political visibility has been growing by the week, will play a prominent role in the Kisumu leg, the party said on Tuesday in a statement.

The Mombasa governor’s clout in and influence in the party is growing and he is cultivating a cosiness to party leader Raila Odinga.

Mr Joho is the ODM deputy party leader and has announced that he is interested in seeking the presidency in 2022. This could also mean that he could be angling to be Mr Odinga’s running mate for next year’s presidential election.

On Wednesday and Friday, spokesman Dennis Onyango said in the statement, Mr Odinga will be in Kilgoris, Narok West and Emurua Dikirr constituencies in Narok County, where he is scheduled to hold rallies in his hunt for the Maasai vote.

The rallies come two weeks after Mr Odinga was rebuked by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the burial of one-time Cabinet minister William ole Ntimama.

Meanwhile, the planned two-day activities in Kisumu on Friday and Saturday will culminate in what the party calls a mega rally to be addressed by Mr Odinga.

TWO WEEKS

Mr Joho is expected to lead the Kisumu rally, just two weeks after he led highly hyped rallies in Mombasa and Nairobi. The Mombasa rally was meant to celebrate ODM’s 10th anniversary.

“The weekend activities are not for fun but are part of our mission and duty as a party to educate our supporters and Kenyans in general on why Jubilee must not get another term in office,” said Mr Joho in the statement.

In the recent past, President Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party has received ODM stalwarts from the region, hence Mr Odinga’s urgency in visiting the region.

Last week, the party gave a one-week ultimatum to 10 MPs, one governor, a deputy governor, to explain why they should not be kicked out and push for by-elections. The deadline expired last night. Nothing happened.

Last evening, the party said the process of disciplining errant members takes time and asked for patience.

Earlier in the day, Kisumu Senator Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o had said that the Kisumu rally will be used to announce the return of those who had decamped to Jubilee.

“The chairman of the disciplinary committee, Mr Fred Athuok, will issue a comprehensive statement in due course,” said the statement signed by Mr Philip Etale, the ODM director of communications.

WELCOMED BACK

Last weekend, Dr Paul Otuoma, who had resigned as ODM Vice-Chairman alongside Secretary General Ababu Namwamba, was welcomed back to the party by Mr Odinga and reinstated to his seat.

On Tuesday, Prof Nyong’o said: “Those who claimed to have defected will be there. You will see them.” He and Governor Joho were speaking at Mr Odinga’s Capitol Hill offices in Nairobi.

“The race to retire Jubilee is on. Tukutane Kisumu (Let us meet in Kisumu). The only way to make things get better is to reject Jubilee’s new promises and vote it out resoundingly next year,” said Mr Joho.

“The President is unaware of what Kenyans are going through. If he is aware, then he does not care. That is why he does not understand why other people are not eating meat while he does.”

In Narok, Mr Odinga will start his two-day tour in Kilgoris where he will meet leaders and address a rally in the afternoon. He will address another rally at Aitong in Narok West.