Some Homa Bay MCAs have criticised former chairman of Lake Basin Development Authority Odoyo Owidi for his remarks on ODM and its leader Raila Odinga.
Owidi began a protracted political battle with ODM after Raila lost his fifth attempt at the presidency.
But Owidi’s remarks have not gone down well with some MCAs in the county assembly.
The MCAs led by majority leader Richard Ogindo dismissed Owidi and described him as a thankless leader.
Ogindo said Owidi is tainting the name of ODM to be considered for a job in the Kenya Kwanza government led by President William Ruto.
He accused Owidi of criticising Raila to attract the attention of the President.
Ogindo added that Owidi voluntarily resigned from public service to join politics and he should not blame anyone after failing to clinch the Kasipul MP seat.
The Kwabwai MCA in the company of his Kanyaluo counterpart Jeff Ongoro asked Owidi to stop tainting the image of Raila and ODM.
“Owidi has lost direction in his politics and I want to assure him that he is walking on that path alone. He will not succeed by making Raila his agenda,” he said.
Owidi is among the politicians from Luo Nyanza who welcomed Ruto in Homa Bay during the prayer service at Africa Inland Church on October 2.
Since Raila lost the presidency to Ruto, Owidi has urged him to quit politics and allow for the emergence of other young leaders in the Luo community.
Owidi said his criticism of ODM has nothing to do with getting a job in government but he is just speaking the truth to the party leadership.
"My actions have not been informed by the need to seek a job in government but by the dictatorship, ODM has demonstrated in the recent past. And if the government offers me a job I will decide whether to take it or not, but for now, I must speak the truth," Owidi said.
The political war pushed Owidi, who was a life member of the party to resign from ODM as he continues to criticise its leadership.
He quit after writing to the party secretary general Edwin Sifuna.
Ahead of the August 9 general poll, Owidi unsuccessfully vied for Kasipul parliamentary seat after ODM issued a direct ticket to the current MP Ong’ondo Were.
In the letter to Sifuna, Owidi claims that ODM has been turned into a dictatorial party that is run as a one-man show.
“The previously good and loved party today lacks appropriate leadership structures. Leaders ascend to positions in the party based on how close they are to Raila,” Owidi wrote then.
The former chairman added that ODM has lost the foundation in which it was founded on as dictatorship has become the order of the day.
Owidi said he can no longer continue to serve as a member of the party.
“This is therefore a courtesy letter to let you know that I have made a well-considered decision to resign from membership of ODM effective immediately,” he said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
