By Anderson Ojwang
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga, gave a wide berth to claims of money capture in the party and instead claimed that they are substantively in office.
Oburu is currently in the spotlight over alleged money capture in the party, which is being used to fund Linda Ground engagements, while the government owes the party Sh12 billion.
In a press statement, Oburu said they were substantively in office and dismissed claims by Sifuna that they were interim party officials.
He wrote: “We want to state categorically that all party officials are serving substantively and are supported by party organs’ resolutions.”
However, the interview also contained assertions that misled the public regarding the legitimacy of certain party organs and office holders. ODM has, since its inception, demonstrated fidelity to its constitution and to the rule of law.
“The same principle has put every individual in their rightful positions, including that of Senator Sifuna,” he said.
Unlike Raila, who relied on party members, governors, and himself to fund party activities, hardly ninety days after his death the party is swimming in millions of shillings that were hard to come by when he was alive.
‘A philanthropist or a financier has taken the reins of the party and is dictating the terms as ODM embarked on Linda Ground activities.’
Unlike before, when delegates footed their own bills or were sponsored by area Members of Parliament and governors, delegates are currently hosted in star hotels and paid allowances ranging from Sh20,000 to Sh70,000, depending on cadre.
Party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna revealed that the funds and resources being used in the ongoing Linda Ground engagements did not come from the party.
“The money and the resources you see being spent on the ODM rallies called Linda Ground do not come from ODM headquarters.
For me, I can only account for the monies because I am a signatory to the bank accounts, and Timothy Bosire is also a signatory. The last money we expended as ODM officially was for the celebration in Mombasa, and it was a fraction of what you saw there,” he said.
Sifuna said there was parallel funding of political activities in the party, and they did not know where the funds were coming from.
“For a fact, there is parallel funding for activities clothed in ODM colours, and they go around saying they are ODM delegates.
The Linda Ground activities are not financed from the ODM coffers and headquarters. There is no money that I executed a cheque for for those activities.
We didn’t have any money. The third-quarter remittance from the Exchequer came two weeks ago, amounting to about Sh100 million, and it is a drop in the ocean compared to what ODM is supposed to receive.
ODM is owed a total of Sh12 billion by the Treasury, yet we are being told that my former chairperson is the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury,” he said.
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga supported Sifuna’s concerns over the financing of the ODM Linda Ground activities and questioned the source of the money flowing into the party.
“As a signatory to the ODM account, if he questions where all the money for choppers, big tents, and ODM-branded T-shirts and caps at the ‘Linda Ground’ conventions is coming from, why should anyone abuse him?
He admitted on national TV that the ODM Party has not spent a single coin on the campaigns, which run into millions of shillings. Those with the answers, why can’t you provide them? Are governors funding the campaigns? Are MPs doing it from the CDF kitty? Did we get a philanthropist that a party SG is not aware of who is funding the clearly expensive public fora? And what is in it for the ‘philanthropist’?” she questioned.
Ruth also wondered why the government was not releasing the Sh12 billion owed to the party.
“Where is the money used to fly choppers, procure big tents, and mobilise and brand crowds in ODM colours coming from, yet the same money cannot be sent to the ODM Party bank accounts? That only means one thing: control.
So they must be the ones controlling the show, where they decide who is ‘invited’ to the Linda Ground tents and what they say once they get there. Anything outside the script attracts immediate booing, as was the case with Suba North MP Hon. Millie Odhiambo at the Ciala Resort in Kisumu,” she said.
