By Anderson Ojwang
“Tunataka Pawa,” the common phrase in the Linda Ground of Dr Oburu Oginga, could have succeeded in the recent Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) special delegates conference (SDC) by getting confirmation into office.
But it was a tragic-comedy moment. Despite the success in outmatching and outsmarting the opponents, Linda Mwananchi, the victory was temporal.
For many, the SDC was a successful one, and power transitioned from the founding party leader, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, to his elder brother, Dr Oburu.
The confirmation of Dr Oburu as the party leader, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga as the National Chairperson, Governor Simba Arati and his counterpart Abdulsamad Nassir as the deputy party leaders, among other officials, was a milestone.
This was a step towards the realization of the pre-election coalition arrangement with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) against the opposition from Linda Mwananchi.
The power transition was presided over by retired Judge, Justice Stewart Madzayo, who handed over the instruments of power to the party leader, Dr Oburu.
ODM Director of Elections, Junet Mohammed, invited the judge to conduct the power transition from Raila to Dr Oburu, to mark a new dispensation.
Madzayo said: “I, Stewart Madzayo, today I give the instruments of power. Inside the bag are Kenya’s constitution and the ODM constitution. We give this to Dr Oburu as our leader.”
He also gave him a walking stick, a symbol of power, to Dr Oburu, the leader of ODM after taking over, marking a new reign.
But in the transition, one important document was missing: the ODM certificate. The single important document that defines party control and authority. This brings the question into play: who has the party certificate?
Is the party certificate with the Linda Ground faction or the Linda Mwananchi wing of the Secretary General Edwin Sifuna?
According to the ODM constitution, it spells out the function of the Secretary General as: “He or she shall be the Party Spokesperson and be responsible for the management of the National Secretariat and remain the principal custodian of Party records from grassroots to the national level. His/her responsibilities shall include: Be the depository and custodian of all Party documents including Party Seal, Minutes Register, instruments of intellectual property rights, instruments of registration, registration of all Party Branches and Party members’ register. vi) Corresponding and consulting with the Registrar.”
Recently, former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo said Linda Mwananchi indeed have the party certificate and challenged Linda Ground to display the document if they have it in their possession.
“Linda Mwananchi is our slogan. We have the ODM certificate, and they can only kill us to have it. Who has the certificate? We tell you we know who has it,” he said.
Ndolo said Linda Mwananchi have the certificate and challenged Linda Ground to produce the document if they truly have it.
“If they had the certificate, why didn’t they sack Sifuna from the party as the Secretary General? Let them sack him. Why did they sack Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and left Sifuna?” he asked.
Ndolo said Sifuna was the custodian of the ODM certificate in line with the constitution and not the Oburu wing, and this could be a salient and silent transfer of power.
Reserved Sifuna’s seat at the SDC
At the SDC, the ODM Linda Ground faction reserved the seat of the Secretary General, with Edwin Sifuna’s name, which confirms the power and authority he holds in the party.
Similarly, Sifuna continues to use the ODM vehicle designated to him by the party, which also illustrates the control and power he has over the Oburu wing.
In the Linda Mwananchi rallies, Sifuna continues to use the Secretary General’s vehicle, and Sifuna understands the game and is outfoxing his opponents in the other coalition.
Sifuna had previously dismissed any attempts to kick him out of the party, saying they have no capacity to eject him from the party.
Sifuna said a plot to remove him from the party was as a result of his opposition to a move by a section of party officials and members to support President William Ruto’s second term.
The changing tone by Oburu
Oburu previously said Sifuna was espousing the party’s position until the National Governing Council decided to sack him.
In a previous meeting, Oburu described Sifuna as espousing the party’s democratic ideals.
“I met with my friend, Senator Edwin Sifuna, the Secretary General of the ODM Party this morning. He remains a sober and principled voice, embodying the democratic ideals we believe in as a party,” he wrote on his X handle then, and added:
“We are one. We are united as the ODM Party. As a leader, I believe we must encourage everyone to speak their mind. Differences of opinion do not mean division. Great parties—like ODM—grow through robust debate and unique challenges,” he said then.
But recently, in a statement after the alleged sacking, it read in parts: “The Party National Executive Committee meeting in Mombasa today has resolved to relieve Secretary General Edwin Sifuna of his responsibilities with immediate effect. Effectively, Catherine Omanyo, who is one of the deputy secretaries general, will act in this position until a substantive holder of the office is elected.”
But this was thwarted after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal stayed the sacking and gave Sifuna a reprieve.
Recently, Wanga wrote a show-cause letter to Sifuna asking why he should not be disciplined, and he has returned to court once again to thwart the move.
ODM-K battle over certificate returns
History could be in the offing over the certificate which pitted Raila against Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka over the certificate of ODM-K.
Interestingly, Kalonzo upstaged Raila in the battle as the Secretary General Dan Mwanzo was the holder of the certificate.
Oburu could be witnessing a replay of the ODM-K battle recurring, and the big question is: does he have the muscle to wrestle it from the Linda Mwananchi faction?
