By Anderson Ojwang
The Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) application of the term “traitors” has been its Waterloo in the party and its presidential candidate, the late Raila Odinga’s, pursuit of the presidency.
In the various presidential contests from 2013 to the 2022 general elections, the “traitors” have come back to haunt Raila and deny him victory.
The “traitors” have found themselves deep inside the new regime and have held influential positions, while ODM has remained in the opposition, save for negotiated political alliances.
After the 2007 general elections, the term “traitors” became a political tool used by a section of ODM leaders and members close to then party leader, the late Raila Amolo Odinga.
In the emerging political dispensation in ODM, those who were alleged to be traitors were either politically guillotined and eradicated from the party altogether.
Some of the alleged traitors in ODM were William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi, Aden Duale, Raphael Tuju, Ababu Namwamba, Najib Balala, and Moses Wetang’ula, among others.
ODM after its formation brought in politicians who were viewed as promising Kenya’s future, and it came as no surprise that in 2022, Ruto, a founder member, easily sailed to victory against Raila, who had allegedly fired him during the coalition government as Minister for Agriculture.
Ahead of the 2013 general elections, at a function in Bondo at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University grounds, in attendance were Raila and Mudavadi among others. The late Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo allegedly branded then Deputy Prime Minister Mudavadi as a traitor and even challenged him to leave the party, saying his departure would be inconsequential.
Mudavadi’s exit
Mudavadi exited ODM for the United Democratic Forum Party (UDF) and came third in the presidential race.
Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Party alliance won with 6,173,433 votes, and Raila under Narc came second with 5,340,546, while Mudavadi came third with 483,981 votes.
Mudavadi’s departure denied Raila a sizeable vote and a percent of 3.9 percent of the votes.
The exit of Mudavadi greatly undermined Raila’s chances of winning the 2013 presidential elections and handed Uhuru and Ruto the impetus.
In the 2022 general elections, Mudavadi joined hands with Ruto to hand Raila another resounding defeat.
Wetang’ula
Ford-K leader Moses Wetang’ula was a co-principal in the NASA coalition and the Minority Leader in the Senate.
Once again, Raila fell to the trap of his advisors and close political associates, who relieved Wetang’ula of the position and gave it to then Siaya Senator James Orengo.
Wetang’ula joined President Ruto in the Kenya Kwanza coalition and delivered 255,755 votes against Raila’s 145,106 in Bungoma County.
In the August 2017 presidential election, Raila Odinga secured a majority of the vote in Bungoma County with 281,675 votes (approximately 68.1%), while Uhuru Kenyatta received 123,804 votes (around 31.9%).
Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes in Kenya’s August 9 election, representing 50.49 percent of the total votes cast against Raila’s 6,942,530, winning with a difference of 233,611.
Therefore, it can be argued that Raila’s loss of 136,569 votes in Bungoma contributed to his failed presidential bid – another bitter effect of the alleged traitor tag politics within the ODM ranks.
Currently, Wetang’ula is the Speaker of the National Assembly and the third most senior leader in the country.
Ruto
Raila Odinga fell to the sword of his advisors and close relatives, who convinced him to dispense with Ruto, then Agriculture Minister, arguing that he would still gain the Kalenjin vote in 2007.
The then Ker of Luo, the late Mzee Riaga Ogallo, pleaded with Raila not to discard Ruto but instead stick with him.
“You need Ruto to win the presidency in future. I have spoken with him, and he is ready to work with you. I beseech you, do not discard him,” Riaga said then.
The 2013 elections
In the 2007 presidential elections, Raila won in Rift Valley by securing 70.3 percent of the total votes cast against then President, the late Mwai Kibaki’s 28.7 percent.
But Raila suffered a shocking defeat in the 2013 presidential election to a joint presidential candidature of Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto.
From the IEBC data, for instance, in West Pokot County, Raila got 24,962 votes against Uhuru’s 79,772, while in Trans Nzoia, Uhuru received 94,022 votes against Raila’s 24,762 votes.
In Uasin Gishu, the bedrock of Ruto’s home county, Uhuru received 113,630 votes against Raila’s paltry 5,993 votes.
In Nandi County, Uhuru managed 192,507 votes against Raila’s 20,549, while in Baringo County, Uhuru received 138,480 votes against Raila’s 13,824 votes, and in Kericho County, Uhuru attained 138,488 votes against Raila’s 17,326, and in Bomet, Uhuru won by 210,507 against Raila’s 10,463 votes.
The Uhuru and Ruto ticket rode to victory, while Raila and his running mate, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, suffered a shock defeat.
Tuju
Then Rarieda MP Raphael Tuju was hounded out for various development projects and was accused of being a traitor and siding with the late President Mwai Kibaki.
Tuju lost the Rarieda parliamentary election but remained in President Kibaki’s government and also became a key member of former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
After the handshake, Tuju became one of Raila’s closest trusted confidants and advisors. Until his death, Tuju was a pillar in Raila’s political agenda.
Ababu Namwamba and Aden Duale have been key pillars in President Ruto’s government and continue to flourish.
And now the traitor hammer is on the embattled Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who was once again sacked on Monday.
The decision to sack Sifuna has raised his political profile, and he has emerged as one of the possible presidential candidates.
ODM under the current leadership has given up on the presidency and the Deputy President slot in the pre-election coalition with President Ruto’s UDA party.
It is playing second fiddle to UDA, and the search for “pawa” may die with time, remaining elusive for the foreseeable future.
Altar of traitors
Several bright political careers have been sacrificed and guillotined at the altar of ODM traitors. This partly explains the emerging voter apathy in Nyanza, where over 700,000 voters did not vote in the last general elections.
Equally, the disintegration of ODM and eventual decay could be a sweet victory for the traitors, who will continue to blossom.
