By Anderson Ojwang
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga appears to be sending mixed signals over the position of deputy president in the planned ODM and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) pre-election coalition pact.
Oburu, who has been blowing hot and cold, is creating confusion within the ODM fraternity and appears to contradict himself over the planned UDA-ODM negotiations.
On Wednesday, during the ODM National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, Oburu denied having said that the party would not negotiate for the deputy president slot, claiming he had been misquoted.
“There is something people misinterpreted. They said that I said ODM doesn’t want the seat of the deputy president. It is the seat of the deputy president we are eying. That is what we are eying,” he said.
Oburu added that they have no personal problem with Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, noting that the position is a public office.
However, last week in Kisumu, Oburu stated, in the presence of President William Ruto and his deputy Prof. Kindiki, that ODM was not eying the deputy president slot.
“Deputy President, do not think we want your seat and that we want to chase you away. No. Please, you are our friend, but as we negotiate, we are going to negotiate what our people deserve and what our party deserves. ODM is not a Luo party but a national party. We will negotiate fairly; we are not going to take anybody’s share. Everybody will get their fair share,” he said.
Oburu said he will lead ODM during the negotiations and promised to guide the party strategically.
“I am leading ODM. When you follow flies, they will take you to the pit latrine, and when you follow bees, you will get to the honey. We are in talks with UDA. We are going to make sure that we have more than what we have currently. You can see already we managed to get for you these good ministries. We have Energy headed by Opiyo Wandayi and Finance, which is the heart of the government, led by John Mbadi. Even Alego MP Sam Atandi is the chairman of the Budget Committee,” he said.
Oburu further lauded President Ruto for undertaking transformative projects in the region.
“We will start talking with UDA. Some people are saying we are in a hurry. We are not in a hurry. The election is next year. We must prepare in advance. I want to tell you that I will take you to Canaan through Singapore. Singapore is these programs we have launched today. We are giving money to the people,” he said.
Last year, during a TV interview, Oburu maintained that ODM would not accept any position lower than that of deputy president in any pre-election coalition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“If we have to go for a lower position, it must not be lower than number two (deputy president) in any formation. That is my take. We should not take less than that,” he said.
Oginga emphasized that ODM’s priority is to rebuild and unite its grassroots base to retain influence in national politics.
“I want my people of ODM to strengthen ODM as a party. If we are going to start talking about the position we will occupy there, we will get nothing,” he said.
“Nobody will respect you or negotiate with you if you are a weak party. Our emphasis is on strengthening ODM so that we can negotiate for the top position in the land.”
A section of ODM leaders from the Coastal region, during Raila Odinga’s posthumous birthday, declared that their irreducible minimum for supporting President Ruto in 2027 was the deputy president slot. The leaders proposed Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho for the position.
During a recent ODM Linda Grounds meeting in Kisumu, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo told Oburu that, as party leader, he cannot double up as the lead negotiator in the ODM–President William Ruto’s UDA pre-election coalition pact.
Winnie Odinga, during the ODM 20th anniversary, called for a new team to manage the broad-based arrangement, terming it delicate.
“There is something I wanted to tell you. When it came to the matter of broad-based government, the people of ODM entrusted one person with the management of that relationship. That person was Baba Raila Amolo Odinga. That relationship is complicated and therefore we are looking and we are wondering, those who are taking upon themselves to manage it now, are they capable of managing that relationship? I don’t think that is the question for me to answer. That is the question for the people of ODM to answer. That is why, party leader, I am requesting we need to go back to the people and have an NDC to see who the people want to pick to manage that same relationship,” she said.
