- The Karen meeting comes barely a day after Oparanya hosted the duo at his Butere home on Sunday, a move we were told was being keenly monitored from Raila’s Capitol Hill office.
- It is on this background that Raila reached out to Oparanya on Monday morning and invited him over for a meeting.
ODM leader Raila Odinga on Monday moved to quell simmering disquiet in his party caused by divisions over the Building Bridges Initiative.
The opposition chief hosted Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Siaya Senator James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo — three high ranking members of his party who contradicted him last week — to a brunch at his Karen home.
The trio had last week expressed reservations to how the 70 additional constituencies were created in the Constitution of Kenya (Amendments) Bill, 2020.
Also present at the mid-morning meeting was Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu.
Sources told the Star that the meeting which lasted almost two hours, deliberated on the thorny issue of BBI and the party matters which has seen a near split of the 16-year-old opposition outfit.
The Star established that Raila initially called Oparanya to his Karen home and it is Oparanya who then suggested the inclusion of both Orengo and Otiende.
Other sources claimed that it is Ngilu who pushed for the Karen meeting to iron out the BBI misunderstandings ahead of the anticipated referendum.
The Karen meeting comes barely a day after Oparanya hosted the duo at his Butere home on Sunday, a move keenly monitored from Raila’s Capitol Hill office.
Raila had in the last one week been under siege, with his once trusted lieutenants contradicting him leading to the sacking of the Rarieda MP from the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.
It is on this background that Raila is said to have reached out to Oparanya on Monday morning and invited him over for a consultative meeting.
Speaking after the meeting, Raila said it was a brunch meeting without giving details.
“Had a great chat this morning with Governors Charity Ngilu and Wycliffe Oparanya together with Senator James Orengo whom I hosted for brunch. Thanks for dropping by,” Raila posted on his Facebook page.
Sources told the Star that Otiende joined the meeting mid-way.
Oparanya said they had a candid meeting and agreed to forge a common front going forward.
“It was just about our party issues and we have resolved it well. There were a lot of speculations of a split. Raila was also concerned about the happenings. We have agreed to work together,” he said.
“Unfortunately because of Covid-19 we cannot meet as frequently creating space for all these speculations,” Oparanya added.
“Raila called me and later called Orengo after I suggested that he (Orengo) should also come. He (Raila) had called to ask me generally about the meeting in Butere before he suggested that we meet,” said the governor.
On his Twitter handle, Orengo termed the meeting a refreshing catch-up with his party leader.
Ngilu said she strongly encouraged that unity of purpose should prevail in ODM especially among leaders who have shown great purpose in moving this country forward.
"The work of dealing with the current pandemic, youth unemployment and the stressed economic times needs all of us to come together regardless of party affiliations," she said.
"Kenyans are looking up to us to get them out of these challenges. This is not the time to disagree about issues that should be bringing us together," she added.
-Edited by SKanyara