- The ODM party had pushed its grassroots elections from December last year to April this year.
- Senior politicians are scrambling to succeed Raila both at the Luo regional level and at the national front.
Image: HANDOUT
Intense jostling for Luo Kingship in case ODM leader Raila Odinga succeeds in his African Union job bid is threatening to mire the party’s planned April grassroots polls.
Besides the Luo leadership succession battle, a vicious scramble to succeed Raila on the national stage has also erupted within the Orange party, throwing the elections into a cloud of uncertainty.
Raila has declared that he will be seeking to become the African Union Commission chairperson in next year’s elections, triggering nasty fights among his allies who are keen on succeeding him.
At the Luo kingship level, the party is rocked in factional wars with Raila’s close allies jostling for the mantle amid concerns that if he wins the seat, then there would be a leadership vacuum.
There are fears that the infighting could cloud the party’s grassroots election and further damage ODM’s standing as the country’s most rock-solid political movement.
Allies of former governors Wycliffe Oparanya(Kakamega) and Hassan Joho (Mombasa) are engaged in nasty boardroom wars as the two ODM deputy party leaders scheme to take over from Raila.
Both Oparanya and Joho are said to be keen on installing their allies in ODM leadership positions during the April grassroots elections as they shore up their chances of inheriting Raila.
ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna confirmed that the party’s grassroots elections planned for next month are on course.
“Nothing has changed in our plan. The party’s elections will be from April 1,’’ Sifuna said.
The elections, the first in years since ODM was formed in 2005, would steady the boat and firm up internal structures as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The party's attempt to hold grassroots elections in February 2014 after its National Delegates Conference was disrupted at the Karasani gymnasium.
Trouble started when men dressed in black suits overturned tables, smashed ballot boxes and destroyed election materials, insisting that the polls could not proceed unless they were furnished with party registers.
The elections were later called off, forcing the party to resort to boardroom negotiations that saw new leaders installed without any polls.
Last week Joho lifted the lid about his ambitions to succeed Raila when he declared that he will be seeking the presidency in the 2027 elections on the ODM ticket.
“People were telling me that in the next general election, I should vie for a local seat. I want to tell them I'm done with Mombasa politics and I'm now focusing on national politics," Joho said in Raila’s presence.
“Who told you that if you are born in Mombasa you cannot become the president of the Republic of Kenya? I want to make it clear that I will be in the presidential race come 2027.”
With the Raila succession race likely to spill over to next month’s grassroots elections, Oparanya insisted that he is keen to succeed the ODM boss as party leader if Odinga wins the AU elections next February.
“If he succeeds in his Au bid and may not be available to play local politics, I will ask for the party leadership. I know there could be other people who are also interested,’’ Oparanya said.
Besides the national-level power struggle, there is a vicious scramble among influential Luo politicians seeking to take over the community leadership baton from Raila.
ODM National Chairperson MP John Mbadi and National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi are some of the big names that have been mentioned in the Luo Nyanza Raila succession matrix.
Raila, wife Ida Odinga a few days ago let the cat out of the bag when he publicly endorsed Mbadi as the person best suited to succeed Raila in the region.
Speaking at a public event in Mbadi’s Suba South backyard, Ida suggested that Mbadi should be the next Luo kingpin.
“Mbadi, for all these years that Baba (Raila) has trained you, do you still need more training? Aren’t you capable? That is where Baba’s heart is,’’ Ida said on February 23 in Nyandiwa.
Ida’s endorsement came months after Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga(Raila’s elder brother) also appeared to endorse Wandayi as Raila’s heir apparent.
“Leaders grow like mushrooms. That is how Opiyo Wandayi is growing and nothing will stop him from being the top leader. These are the people who will now lead us and give us direction,’’ Oginga had said in September.
However, the senator later recanted the statement and denied endorsing Wandayi.
“My statement has been misinterpreted,’’ the senator said, adding that the insinuation should be disregarded,’’ he said.
Mbadi, last week hosted Raila and other top ODM bigwigs including Raila in his Suba South backyard in what was seen as part of his plans to succeed Raila in the Luo region.
The event was attended by Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga with leaders endorsing Mbadi to recapture his constituency seat in 2027.
During the tour of the Suba South constituency, Raila met ODM delegates and addressed political rallies in Sindo and Magunga towns.
Mbadi is currently serving as a Nominated MP in the National Assembly.