How Obado, Sudi ties with Raila family put ODM in fix

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Migori Governor Okoth Obado enjoy warm relations with Raila Odinga's family, posing a dilemma for ODM troops who oppose them.

Sudi was locked up in a Nakuru police station and later released on a Sh500,000 cash bail on Friday after he was arrested on claims of making inciting statements and insulting Mama Ngina Kenyatta.

Obado is fighting off ODM's plans for his impeachment by Migori MCAs over alleged corruption and funnelling Sh73 million county funds to his children.

A series of tweets by the former Prime Minister’s son, Raila Jnr, for most of this week revealed the close ties Sudi and Obado have with the influential family.

Raila Jnr took on Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, rebuking him for the hard stance he took against Sudi who is accused of hate speech.

“Actually, Junet as Minority Whip in the House and senior parliamentarian, I believe your position should be that even though you don’t necessarily agree with what Sudi said you’ll defend his right to say it. Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our democracy,” he tweeted, setting off a fierce debate.

Sudi and the Odinga family have had cordial relations dating back more than a decade and Raila repeatedly has affirmed that Sudi is "my son".

Sudi was introduced to the Raila family by his brother-in-law, Don Bosco Gichana, a close friend and business associate of the late Fidel Odinga, Raila's son.

In 2007, Gichana gifted Raila with a Humvee, or Hummer, a military-type vehicle that was rare in Kenya at the time.

Since then, the Raila family has embraced Sudi as one of their own and he is said to enjoy the support of Ida, Raila's wife.

In May this year, Sudi hosted Raila for lunch at the Pumpkin restaurant in Nairobi’s Kilimani area.

“Baba (Raila) is my friend and our friendship started long ago. Fidel too was my close friend," Sudi said in a recent interview.

"Besides politics, we are friends even at the family level. Of all the Kenyan politicians, I respect Raila, he has a stand and plans for this country,” he said. 

Equally, Obado is a close family friend to the Odingas and multiple sources have said the bold attack by Raila Jnr on top ODM officials must have had the blessings of the family.

In the tweets seen as jibes at the ODM top brass, Raila Jnr said, "We as ODM need to find our way back to basics, we’re not just about private jets and slay queens.

“Whilst abusing rival politicians, we have a development agenda clearly outlined in our manifesto, let’s focus on service delivery, democratic space, protecting private citizen rights,” he said.

It is understood a section of family members is against the planned impeachment of Obado, which appears to be steered by ODM chairman John Mbadi and secretary general Edwin Sifuna.

In the last general election, when Obado returned to ODM, he relied heavily on the support of Ida and Raila’s brother Oburu Oginga to secure the party certificate after a cabal of leaders close to the party leader tried to push him away. 

Moses Ouma, the chief of protocol in Obado's office and a former Raila aide, played a key role in shaping Obado's close ties with Ida.

Ouma hails from Stella Centre, only a few kilometres from Ida’s rural home in Uriri constituency, and he has the Odingas' ear, which was key in allowing Obado's retreat to ODM.

In July 2014, during the funeral of Mama Ida’s mother Rosa Oyoo, Obado took centre stage in organising the funeral that cemented his close relationship with Raila's wife.

Insiders said whilst those close to Raila wanted to boo and jeer Obado during the funeral, Ida came to his rescue and told off the leaders, which started their friendship.

During the shambolic ODM nominations race between current Senator Ochilo Ayacko and Obado, Migori town residents organised a demonstration against Ida at Posta grounds in Migori town.

Demonstrators accused Ida of helping Obado secure the party ticket and taking centre stage in defending the governor.

For almost a month now, ODM has been unable to proceed with the impeachment of the governor despite Mbadi saying the MCAs had already collected 31 signatures in support of the motion.

Raila’s spokesman Dennis Onyango distanced Ida from the matter, saying the impeachment was purely a party affair.

He said the signatures by MCAs will pave the way for the impeachment motion that will be tabled in the assembly.

“How does Ida Odinga come in? The impeachment is by ODM and MCAs. How did you arrive at the idea that there is a delay? ODM never gave timelines. So there is a delay based on what timelines? Onyango asked.

On Thursday, the last day of sitting in the week, MCAs only transacted other businesses of the house and never talked about the motion. A number told the Star they were not sure when it would be tabled.

“We only discussed house business reports and statements from members. We are not sure of any impeachment," said North Kamagambo MCA Samuel Orima, who sits in the speaker’s panel.

Suna Central MCA Christopher Onanda and his Muhuru Bay counterpart Hevron Maira said though the motion was not tabled it was in the pipeline.

“We are eagerly waiting for it. It is currently being worked on,” Onanda said.

Maira said they were “sure the motion will be tabled, this impeachment motion is unstoppable.”

On Saturday last week, during a meeting of more than 600 county party delegates at Maranatha Grounds in Migori town, ODM chairman Mbadi said the motion should have been tabled this week.

“We have resolved unequivocally that Obado will have to leave office and the impeachment motion will be tabled next week,” the Suba South MP said.

He said the earlier failure to table the motion was not because the party was afraid of Obado and his popularity in the assembly or in the county.

He said already out of 41 ODM lawmakers, 31 are solidly behind the motion, without adding the support from independents and other parties.

“If Obado knew he was that popular, he could have not moved from PDP to the Orange party in last general election,” Mbadi told delegates.

There has been disquiet among Migori MCAs that the slow process and hiccups in tabling the motion might have been reached after Obado reached out to other senior party members and members of Raila's family.

On Saturday at Maranatha Grounds, the issue of interference by ODM bigwigs forced Mbadi to publicly say Raila and the party were solidly behind the impeachment motion, to dispel rumours of disquiet.

“This impeachment motion has the blessing of Raila unlike what others have been saying,” Mbadi said.

On Friday last week, Mbadi and Sifuna sought to set the record straight, saying the claims that Ida had stalled the impeachment motion “are just rumours”.

“Why are people dragging Raila’s family into ODM? I have never heard of another Kenyan leader being dragged into their party matters, it is not fair. ODM has spoken; no one else can contradict ODM’s position,” Mbadi told the Star.

He added, “The only person who has a position in ODM is Raila Odinga, no one else. This is pure scandalising Raila’s family. Even me, I am very close to Obado.”

Sifuna said Ida had not expressed herself on the matter.

“She is not an official of the party, she has not spoken on those matters. I am sure if she has her own opinions she can express them. I have not heard her express those opinions. Those are rumours,” he told the Star.

(Edited by V. Graham)