By Ruth Odinga
Last evening, I honored the invite of our very own Trevor Ombija, the versatile Royal Media Services journalist for a candid discussion on what is going on in Kenya’s political landscape, barely three months after laying ODM founding Party Leader, the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga to rest, and the subsequent loss of our dear sister Beryl.
This interview, which came exactly thirty-two years since our father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga breathed his last, gave me the platform to shed light on the alleged rift in the Odinga family. We are a family that has remained united, and that unity is not about to die soon. Was has been interpreted as ‘rift’ is the democratic space that we have enjoyed over the years. This means we cannot always agree, but we will always voice our contradicting opinions.
Most importantly, and here I spoke as a founding member of the Great ODM Party, I am neither in ‘Tutam’ nor ‘Wantam’. But I am firmly in the broad-based government, whose chief architect, the late PM, found it fit to leave the ODM family, with a rider in the name of the ten-point agenda.
ODM should not be in a hurry to enter into a coalition agreement as though it is some kind of emergency. 2027 is not going anywhere. Even if ODM sits still and does nothing, 2027 will come. The Central Management Committee (CMC) sat a couple of days ago in Kilifi. This is a very important party organ. Next we expect the party Chairperson to call for a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting so that the leadership can get the opportunity to share ideas on the best way forward.
We cannot purport to come to any conclusion binding party member before we have listened to the people. ODM Party is a people’s movement. Our membership stretch from Turkana to Kwale. From Wajir all the way to Isebania. We must start thinking of Townhall meetings for the members, listening to their concerns which must then be incorporated into the final decision the party will arrive at.
Our Party Leader, Hon Oburu Oginga, was given the crown at the height of grief. The differences we have been seeing of late did not start when Dr Oburu assumed office as Party Leader. These were issues that were there even when Baba was alive and he had promised to convene a caucus to address these issues. The point here is that we can solve ideological differences by showing people the door. If we keep showing people the door, then who will be left? Sifuna will leave with his people. Babu Owino with his people…. We must create a platform for the leaders to sit and talk, then we can reach out to the people in the Townhall meetings. That is how a people’s movement is supposed to work.
But we are seeing a situation where a lot of money is flying around, and there appears to be a deliberate approach to commit ODM party into a coalition agreement more than a year to the next general elections. Where is the money coming from? Is it in the Budget and Appropriations Committee at the National Assembly, and I know that the government has not given ODM party money. So where is all the money coming from? Those pushing for ODM party to commit itself right now may be seeing the good in it. Whether it is personal or for the benefit of all the members. But committing early means you will carry whatever blames the ruling party will be accused of.
As you negotiate, where is your numerical strength as a party? You may negotiate for those cabinet secretary slots, yes, but if you do not have governors or MPs, how will this work for you? That is why we need to be cautious as we approach this matter. And most importantly, at no point should we ever leave the people behind. In 2007 for instance, ODM had more MPs that the ruling coalition. That is how we ended up having one of our own as the Speaker of the National Assembly. Whatever negotiations ODM did in 2008 were backed by the masses that were behind the party.
The party must have a NEC meeting and NGEC meeting with party officials to deliberate on the discussions of the central committee before rarifying anything. Central Committee is an advisory board and of major decisions of the party must be brought to NEC
