By Anderson Ojwang
The Council of Elders from the Luhya and Luo communities want the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leadership to resolve any emerging dispute without breaking the party.
The Elders said the party has been the backbone of Nyanza and Western Kenya and should never be allowed to disintegrate.
“The joint council called upon the ODM leadership to closely pay attention to the matter instead of division between the two communities,” the resolution read.
The elders said the two communities have never had any boundary dispute and have enjoyed a cordial political relationship, which must be nurtured at all costs.
“It was noted that Luos and Luhyas are the only neighbouring communities that have never had inter-tribal warfare,” they said.
The joint council resolved to unify the two communities for socio-economic and political dispensation.
“The joint council unanimously resolved to work together and form a formidable unity that will help them work together in resolving common economic, social and even political concerns,” they said.
ODM Deputy Party Leader Geoffrey Osotsi, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo have accused a section of the party leaders, led by the National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, of trying to auction the party to President William Ruto through a broad-based government arrangement.
The leaders have claimed Wanga was trying to hand over the party to President Ruto in what they termed a hostile plot for a takeover.
“ODM is not for sale. ODM members have not decided and resolved on who to support as the president in the next general election.
The late Raila Odinga told us the ODM party has the power to produce a presidential candidate. If you want to tell us that you will support someone else, Baba asked us to ask you who told you?” he said.
Orengo said they will not allow the party to be auctioned and that he has evidence to that effect.
“ODM is not for sale. I know there are people who want to sell ODM, and I can even produce evidence that there are some people trying to sell this great party,” he said.
Orengo claimed the group wants a hostile takeover of ODM and is making deals on how to auction the party.
Osotsi said the 10-point agenda between ODM and UDA will determine future negotiations between the parties involved.
Wanga defended the party’s engagement in the broad-based government, saying it was the wish of Raila and for the good of the country.
“In the 2022 general election, we voted for Raila Odinga. This is not the government we voted for. But despite not having voted for it, when we sat at the table, we in ODM got six ministers.
We got critical dockets such as the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, for the first time after independence,”she said.
Wanga said politics was about interests and that they will be in the broad-based government up to 2027.
“We will go to the negotiation table with UDA and ODM, and that is why we must put our houses in order. As ODM, that is what we are doing,” she said.
Osotsi said if there will be any arrangements, the cards must be placed on the table for open and transparent negotiations.
ODM Party Leader Dr Oburu Odinga said the community will remain in government into the future and cannot break the agreement with President Ruto.
“Jim, do not think we are cowards; we know what is happening. We are careful. We have an agreement up to 2027 and we cannot break it because that is where Raila left us.
We cannot break it; we want to make ODM strong. We cannot leave the government, and even in the future we want ODM to be in government,”he said.
Oburu revisited the political coalition with former President Daniel Moi and Raila Odinga, where the council of elders visited the then president at his Kabarak home in Nakuru.
He said that could be one of the incidents Orengo might have been alluding to, where the community was betrayed.
Alego Usonga legislator Samuel Atandi has urged ODM party members to support President Ruto during the 2027 elections.
He said the ODM party currently has no capacity to contest the presidency and that the best bet for members was to support the re-election of the president.
The legislator said that former ODM leader Raila Odinga did not anoint anybody to run for the presidency on the party ticket, and the only option is to support the re-election of President Ruto.
“ODM, as a party, is not ready to present a presidential candidate in the 2027 general election. Those leaders who claim Raila never endorsed President Ruto have no capacity to run against him,” Atandi said.
