By Anderson Ojwang
The party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Dr Oburu Oginga, has dismissed the alleged ouster by Siaya Governor James Orengo, saying he can only be party leader of birds.
Oburu, speaking in Bondo on Friday, said Orengo has no capacity to take over the leadership of ODM and was daydreaming.
“Orengo declared himself party leader. You can be party leader of trees, of the birds, or any other party. But you are certainly not the party leader of ODM by declaring yourself as the acting party leader,” he said.
Oburu told Orengo that he cannot wrestle the party leadership of ODM from him whatsoever.
“I don’t care if somebody goes and declares himself party leader. If you think you have the power to take over ODM, you are cheated,” he said.
Orengo last weekend at a Linda Mwananchi rally in Nakuru declared himself as the party leader, a move which was meant to unsettle the Siaya Senator who was recently confirmed as the party leader during the Special Delegates Conference held in Nairobi.
However, during the SDC, Oburu was only provided with the walking stick and the constitution of the party and the country as the instruments of power.
But conspicuously missing was the party registration certificate, the single most important document that defines party control and authority.
Former judge Justice Stewart Madzayo, who presided over the transition, said: “I, Stewart Madzayo, today I give the instruments of power. Inside the bag are Kenya’s constitution and the ODM constitution. We give this to Dr Oburu a walking stick to mark a new reign as our leader.”
Orengo claimed that he had ousted Oburu from the seat for failing to steer the party forward and adequately prepare for the 2027 general election.
“We know the Secretary General of ODM is Edwin Sifuna, and because Oburu is unable, now Orengo is the acting party leader of ODM. Thank you,” he said.
But ODM Director of Elections dismissed Orengo’s claims that he was the acting party leader of ODM as a figment of imagination.
“I have heard Orengo say he is party leader. Which party is that? Dr Oburu Oginga is the party leader of ODM. We are in broad-based government. We cannot leave it. We cannot follow Orengo in demos,” he said.
Junet said when the leader of Ford-K, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, died, Orengo wanted to be the party’s leader.
“Our leader is Oburu Oginga. We know where we are going, and our party is ODM, and we are in broad-based government,” he said.
Genesis of the battle
Orengo has dominated and monopolized his political battles with the Siaya Senator, edging him out to the periphery.
Orengo and Oburu first clashed over the ODM ticket for the Siaya senatorial seat, where he managed to isolate Oburu from the MPs from Siaya County.
In the 2013 elections, after the promulgation of the 2010 constitution which created the Senate seat, Orengo and Oburu engaged in a fierce contest over the seat.
Orengo expressed interest in the seat while Oburu also wanted to become the first senator for Siaya County.
In the contest, Orengo had the support of Siaya MPs led by the late Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, and Oburu was left exposed and a lonely man in the battle.
Midiwo then said that leaders from Siaya County would not support then Finance Assistant Minister Oburu Oginga’s quest for the county’s Senate seat.
“All elective positions in the county will be distributed based on equity and not greed of a clique of some politicians,” said Midiwo.
Oburu never forgave Jakoyo for forsaking him despite being his maternal cousin, and in the 2017 general elections, he fronted the current MP Elisha Odhiambo against the incumbent.
With the support of Jakoyo and other MPs, Oburu was forced to swallow humble pie and declared interest in the gubernatorial seat.
But at the ODM primaries, Oburu found that the current Siaya Deputy Governor Dr William Oduol had entrenched himself and won the disputed nomination.
The ODM party leadership opted to give the ticket to little-known Amoth Rasanga, who won the election, while Oburu was nominated to EALA.
The 2013 loss pushed Oburu to the political periphery, with Orengo becoming one of the key advisors of the late ODM party leader Raila Amolo Odinga.
Linda Ground versus Linda Mwananchi
For several decades, Oburu has been playing second fiddle to his younger brother, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, and only gained prominence after his elevation following Raila’s death.
But Oburu’s elevation has not been rosy, with Orengo appearing once again to challenge his leadership. Orengo is currently a principal of the Linda Mwananchi faction.
Orengo’s Linda Mwananchi wing is opposed to the pre-election coalition pact with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Oburu leads the Linda Ground faction, and recently during the SDC, Oburu was mandated to engage with President Ruto over the coalition.
Linda Mwananchi is growing from strength to strength while Linda Ground wobbles and faces internal disagreement over political zoning.
Recently, Oburu accused Orengo of trying to lead the community away from the broad-based government for his own political gain.
The political struggle
Orengo has dismissed Oburu as one who has never been at the forefront of political struggle, and that is why Raila became the heir to the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
“Oburu has never been on the political front, never tasted teargas, and is not capable of leading ODM,” he said.
He said despite Oburu being born into a political family, he is mostly in the background, and this is why he has been on the periphery.
“Oburu was born in a political family. Most of his father’s life he was in the political background. He never tasted teargas. He has never been inside a police station. It was not by accident that Raila was the true heir. But he is a good man, but I think he cannot be able to lead the party in the right direction if he is being manipulated by characters in the party,” he said.
My shoes and a new chapter
Dr Oburu is steering the party through the transition and reorganizing the party despite the plots within Linda Ground and without to undermine his leadership.
“I have made my shoes, and I have started to walk. So I cannot fall. I want to tell you, Raila left us in a broad-based arrangement. I have been mandated by the party to negotiate with President Ruto. I am soon forming a strong team from ODM to lead the negotiations. We are not going to allow people to pull us backward. Things will not fall apart,” he said.
The last battle
Oburu has the last opportunity to avenge Orengo’s constant political humiliation or perish altogether. This is the opportunity for Oburu to rewrite history, or Orengo’s dominance over him will continue.
