By Anderson Ojwang
Today, at the historic Jamhuri Park, the legacy of Kenya’s Enigma, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, will come to test.
Five months after his death, Raila’s political party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), will walk to its destiny.
The Special National Delegates Conference (SNDC) will herald a new chapter in the party by either burying or cultivating political careers.
Similarly, ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga will be on the cross at Jamhuri Park, either presiding at the altar of the party’s resurgence or the burial of his younger brother’s treasured asset and legacy.
ODM is walking to the SNDC a divided house with two factions namely Linda Ground of Dr Oburu and Linda Mwananchi of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
History could be repeating itself two decades after the party was formed. At its inception, Orange was split into two with one piece going to Raila while the other went to Kalonzo Musyoka.
And today, the ghost of division has returned and Raila’s spirit is restless, as his party of struggle faces the moment of survival.
Oburu’s wing of Linda Ground may have their way in having the instrument of the party just like Kalonzo Musyoka had with ODM-K but lost the people.
Sifuna’s team of Siaya Governor James Orengo, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino may not have their way in the party but will happily walk away with the people just like Raila did.
And with the Political Parties Tribunal ruling which okayed the SNDC, it delivered a rope to the party to hang itself.
It ruled that for now, Sifuna remains ODM’s Secretary General — pending the final determination of the case.
The Tribunal issued orders staying the implementation of a resolution passed by ODM’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Wednesday, which sought to oust Sifuna as the party’s Secretary General.
The orders will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the matter on an inter partes basis.
The Secretary General Curse
ODM’s seat of the Secretary General could be said to be a cursed one. After the founding Secretary General Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, the post has been an altar of death of political careers.
Langat Mangerer as the Secretary General was kicked out of the office by the party’s lethal wing Men in Black and his political career came tumbling down.
Langat was replaced by then Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba who faced a similar fate at Kasarani during the National Delegates Conference and subsequently resigned.
And currently facing the guillotine is Sifuna, whose fate may be determined today. But unlike Langat and Ababu, Sifuna may walk away a hero while his tormentors may remain with a shell in the name of a party.
Parallel NDC and the Luhya factor in play
ODM of Dr Oburu will be at Jamhuri Park while Orengo and his team will hold a parallel one. This will mark the point of departure. A mass walkout will be in the offing and a possible formation of a new political vehicle.
Already, ODM delegates have voiced their concerns and may follow their son Sifuna on his next political move.
Already a section of Vihiga elders led by Fred Omido warned ODM that the NDC contravenes the rules and the constitution of the party.
They also warned MPs from the region elected on the ODM ticket not to attend Oburu’s meeting but instead go to Sifuna’s one.
“Oburu’s meeting is illegal. We have agreed that ODM MPs from Western Kenya who attend the meeting shall have betrayed the Luhya community.
We will not attend that Oburu’s meeting. We will go to Sifuna’s meeting and that is where we are directing our MPs to attend,” he said.
The delegates’ confusion
Already trouble is brewing over the list of the delegates with some claiming the list has been tampered with and manipulated. For instance, in Nyando and Muhoroni factions have emerged.
In Nyando, area MP Jared Opiyo and MCA Ken Okoth have different sets of delegates and a similar script is playing out in Muhoroni between Robert Nyasuna and area MP Onyango Koyoo. And this is replicating in several other regions.
The Winnie Odinga factor
The Nairobi branch has insisted that Winnie Odinga must be made one of the party’s deputy leaders against opposition from some quarters. This could be the faultline leading to a chaotic situation during the meeting.
Winnie said the Nairobi branch must have a seat at the SNDC on March 27th because of their contribution and that ODM was her home.
“ODM is our home. ODM is the party my father built. Why should I leave and go where? I will remain in ODM. In this journey it has not been easy. We still have a place to go and the party position should be considered for those people who have put their lives in the struggle. It is in Nairobi where we demonstrate and not the villages. There are no demos in the villages. You cannot deny Nairobi its right. Nairobi must have a seat on the day. On March 27th, Nairobi will have our day and say,” she said.
ODM Deputy Party leader Abdulsamad Nassir said there was a possibility for a consideration for Winnie to be made as one of the deputy party leaders.
He said a proposal had been made by the Nairobi branch and the SNDC could consider it after the party leader Dr Oburu Oginga’s position is ratified by the delegates at the convention.
“Winnie qualifies to be deputy party leader. There is a proposition which has been done by delegates in Nairobi. In this SNDC, the agenda has been published but in the same way we got into office.
A proposal can come in to make her deputy party leader and the proposal can be considered once our party leader has been ratified. It is something that can definitely be discussed. She has a future. I said this at Raila Odinga’s funeral,” he said.
ODM National chairman Gladys Wanga said Winnie qualified but the SNDC was called for the purpose of ratification of the officials, and they will have an ordinary NDC at the end of every fifth year.
Jamhuri moment could be the final rite of passage of the Enigma as his decades of struggle take their last breath.
