Raila Odinga in a spot as dissenting voices grow

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has over the years enjoyed unrivalled popularity in Luo Nyanza with local Members of Parliament supporting his cause fervently. But this appears to be changing – thanks to open defiance by a section of local politicians.

His Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party’s decision to hand Moses Kajwang’ a direct nomination certificate and drum up support for his election in the February 12 Homa Bay County senatorial by-election has elicited strong resistance from a section of leaders and voters.

That Karachuonyo MP James Rege and his Rangwe counterpart George Oner can, for instance, openly criticise and tell off Raila at a public forum, is a phenomenon few could have imagined happening in Luo Nyanza.

And the fact that the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader opted to personally escort the ODM candidate to submit his nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and thereafter hold a rally in Homa Bay is quite telling. This single act in itself is an admission by Raila that he is facing credible challenge in his own rural political turf.

Ordinarily, this is one such by-election that the CORD leader would have simply “passed by” at the eleventh hour to campaign just once, as a formality, as he has previously done over the years, in other constituencies in the region.

But this time Raila is the one on the defensive, trying to exonerate himself from accusations of leading ODM in a dictatorial manner. What is more, some local MPs snubbed him during the last rally in Homa Bay town, what observers say is a bold statement of rebellion against the CORD leader.

In the past, meetings graced by Raila are usually attended by almost all legislators from the hosting county or district, as well as politicians from other parts of the country.

The Thursday meeting was attended by MPs John Mbadi (Suba), Oyugi Magwanga (Kasipul) and Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) alongside area woman rep Gladys Wanga.

Those who snubbed, or who failed to attend the rally for one reason or the other, included Rege of Karachuonyo, Rangwe’s Oner, Agostino Netto (Ndhiwa), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) and Kabondo Kasipul’s Silvance Osele.

The apparent shift of loyalty for the party leader is indeed curious, considering that among all the four Luo Nyanza counties, Homa Bay registered a high percentage of votes for Raila in the 2013 presidential poll.

It is also the only county where ODM candidates registered 100 per cent success by sweeping the boards in all the eight parliamentary seats, the senate, gubernatorial and the women representative seats. This feat was not achievable even in Siaya County, Raila’s rural county.

Too little a matter

Reached for comment about the Thursday rally in Homa Bay, Netto said that was too little a matter for him to discuss: “You know it is better if we talk about water projects I initiated in Ndhiwa mid this week and other development projects which can change the livelihoods of our people.”

Yesterday, Osele told The Standard on Sunday that some of the MPs who are complaining are those who have problems with their electorate. “I want the people to know that some of those complaining like Kaluma cannot hold even a rally with their electorate and instead they are only waiting for gatherings organised by other leaders like Raila to get a platform of delivering speeches,” Osele said.

“I was held up elsewhere when Raila came to Homa Bay but I will not go to other people’s constituencies to start abusing them the way the likes of Mbadi were doing because that is wrong,” Osele said.

Millie explained she did not attend the rally because she was sick: “I am not aware of those criticising me except Kaluma. But everybody knew I was sick,” she said in a text message.

But Oner maintained there was rebellion in ODM and accused colleagues of making “careless” utterances with a view to be seen to be closer to Raila. “Mbadi has demonstrated he is a divisive leader because of his pretence to be more loyal to the party. His aim and that of his friends is to generate propaganda to cause a rift between Raila and some of us,” Oner claimed.

The legislator said he could not attend the campaign rally because the will of Homa Bay residents and their MPs was ignored when Kajwang’ was being nominated.
He said: “We were not consulted when the decision of issuing the nomination certificate, which affects our constituents, was being made. I couldn’t attend because I would have lacked an answer to give my constituents for supporting Kajwang’ because the people are saying ‘my senator my choice’.”

Chairman of Luo Land Dialogue Initiative Godoy Owidi advised the Orange party leadership to embrace the culture of seeking the will of the people before making decisions which affect their lives. “I can compare what is happening in ODM to what happened in Kanu in 2002 when Moi nominated Uhuru Kenyatta for presidency, a decision which split the party. I want to urge Mbadi and his group to shun sycophancy and uphold what is right for the future well-being of the party.”
But Mbadi, who is also the Orange party chairman, has vowed to form a committee to investigate the conduct of the MPs so that punitive measures can be taken against them.

“I have heard complaints that my colleagues are behaving in a manner that contradicts party policies hence the only thing I will do is to investigate them so that appropriate measures can be taken against them,” Mbadi said. Kaluma described the MPs as people who had lost direction. He went as far as introducing Rangwe politician Joseph Nyamuthe as one who will replace Oner come 2017.

Magwanga described Rege as one of the leaders who had defected from ODM and only deserved punitive action. Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi who is also the ODM Director for Political Affairs criticised the MPs for telling Mr Odinga to let the people of Homa Bay County elect a senator of their choice. “A member of ODM should not give the party leader directions on how to carry out party affairs and such utterances amount to indiscipline,” Wandayi said.

Rege has however hit back at his critics, saying: “I am advocating for the rights of my people hence nobody should blame me.”

Maseno University Political Science lecturer Tom Mboya argues the party leadership should accommodate divergent opinions among members. “The divergent opinions may not polarise the party but it is the reaction of the party officials that may polarise it. Talking about disciplinary action is authoritarianism of the highest order,” Mboya said.

He added: “Mbadi should now make a difference between the past leadership of ODM and the current one as the new chairman.”

Division in the ODM Homa Bay branch started when former Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo allegedly ousted former Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’ and his deputy Monica Amolo from the branch leadership only for Raila to reinstate the late senator.

The party now has two factions, one led by Ogindo who says he is the chairman and another led by Amolo who is serving as acting chair after Kajwang’s death. Suna East MP Junet Mohammed warned the MPs against portraying Raila negatively.

“I want to tell my colleagues that they can dare anybody in this party but not Raila otherwise we will deal with you,” Junet said.

In the meantime, Philip Okundi of Maendeleo Democratic Party has dismissed claims he is working with Jubilee. “I want voters to shun those spreading propaganda. I am contesting to win and transform the well-being of residents. I will use my role of senator to bring in investors to this county,” Okundi said.

Kajwang’ has also dismissed claims he cannot be trusted to lead because he is young. “My brother was a charismatic leader and I want to assure you I will fit in his shoes and I thank the party for nominating me.”