By Anderson Ojwang
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Nairobi youth convention exposed the Dr Oburu Oginga-led faction of Linda Ground to be running on a panic mode, bankruptcy, and stooping low in the duel with the Linda Mwananchi faction.
In what analysts view as a weak show of might and dry political strategy that casts aspersions on the preparedness of Linda Ground and its ability to fight the Secretary General Edwin Sifuna-led wing, Linda Mwananchi, in the post-Raila Amolo Odinga dispensation.
The convention, which was thought to be purely for ODM registered members, turned into tragicomedy when party National Chairperson Gladys Wanga shocked the audience by calling out the first 10 members to register at the function for a gift package.
Wanga read out the ODM registration number and asked the first 10 members to register to come for a gift package at the podium.
“New members come to the podium. Show us the message. Very good, and that is enough. These are youths who have registered as new ODM members. Dr Oburu said we cannot be without power,” she said.
The move opened a can of worms and raised tough questions about the convention: whether the attendees were actually party members or not.
The real fear factor was confirmed when Wanga called to the podium a group of youths who had allegedly moved to Linda Mwananchi but made a comeback to the Linda Ground fold.
Wanga said there were some youths who switched camps but finally have returned to the fold, and we want to welcome them back.
“These were some youths who lost direction. They lost hope and went out of the political lane. But they have realized the party is ODM, and they are back home. Let’s welcome them back,” she said.
One of the youths, Ben Sirkal, said they were in ODM but got confused and went to the other faction, but have returned to the party.
“Oburu Odinga is our party leader. That other faction has disrespected our party leader. We have resolved to return to the fold, and we will be here until further notice,” they said.
Wanga asked the defecting youths to go and greet Dr Oburu to welcome them back into the party.
While Linda Ground wobbles, Linda Mwananchi is gaining strength with every rally, the latest one being in Nakuru which attracted a mammoth crowd, and they have scheduled their next rally for Kisumu town.
Siaya Governor James Orengo, speaking in Nakuru during the Linda Mwananchi rally, claimed that he had ousted Oburu from the seat for failing to steer the party forward and adequately prepare for the 2027 general election.
“We know the Secretary General of ODM is Edwin Sifuna, and because Oburu is unable, now Orengo is the acting party leader of ODM. Thank you,” he said.
But ODM Director of Elections dismissed Orengo’s claims that he was the acting party leader of ODM as a figment of imagination.
“I have heard Orengo say he is party leader. Which party is that? Dr Oburu Oginga is the party leader of ODM. We are in broad-based government. We cannot leave it. We cannot follow Orengo in demos,” he said.
Junet said when the leader of Ford-K, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, died, Orengo wanted to be the party’s leader.
“Our leader is Oburu Oginga. We know where we are going, and our party is ODM, and we are in broad-based government,” he said.
Restlessness
Linda Ground is currently facing political restlessness over demands by a section of UDA members for open competition while some ODM members want to protect their strongholds.
Last Thursday, the Central Management Committee meeting demanded respect from their partner UDA in a statement.
“On our relationship with our broad-based partners, the UDA party, the CMC noted with concern the goings-on and the unwarranted public utterances by some senior officials aimed at causing anxiety and disquiet among our members. As a party that believes in its principles, ideology and the foundation on which it was founded, we demand respect from the UDA party,” read the statement in parts.
Subsequently, Linda Ground has morphed into Linda Chama and has been sent into a panic and crying mode.
Wanga has come out strongly to protect ODM from infiltration, saying they were ready to walk out of any negotiations.
“Ka ngato omulo chama wa. Kata in ema omiyo wa mo moleny (If someone tries to destroy our party, even if he is the one who gives us ghee). Waweyo ne mo no (We will leave that ghee),” she said.
Wanga said it was time to protect the party from intrusion and to prevent the party from losing its parliamentary strength in the next election.
Reunion
Linda Ground, faced with an emerging political terrain, is finding itself being isolated and losing image in the political duel.
That is why MP Caroli Omondi claimed that Linda Ground had sent feelers that they were ready to engage to reunite the party.
“We are ready to engage with the Oburu faction on condition that it nullifies the recently endorsed party officials. If they are not ready to resign, let them go away,” he said.
Omondi said the Oburu faction must agree to hold a fresh national delegates conference to elect new officials.
Sifuna said the Oburu wing must be ready to denounce any pre-election coalition with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance.
But Oburu has maintained that for better or worse, ODM will only get into a coalition arrangement with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
He said ODM was only interested in a coalition with President William Ruto’s party, UDA, and the party has not been swallowed by UDA.
“We as ODM are not interested in other parties we are not negotiating with. We are only particularly interested in UDA, with whom we are going to negotiate,” he said.
Oburu said he was in a good relationship with President Ruto and asked him to rein in some of his party officials causing disunity in the broad-based arrangement.
“I personally, as Dr Oburu Oginga, am in a good relationship with the President, who is the leader of UDA. He needs to discipline and talk to some of his senior officials in his party. That is all we are saying,” he said.
