10 go for secretary general slot as ODM contest shapes up

By JAMES MBAKA, RUSHDIE OUDIA and FRANCIS ONTOMWA

Kenya: The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is bracing for a titanic battle as bigwigs jostle for various positions ahead of the February 28 National Delegates Convention (NDC).

And unlike in the past when acclamation was applied, ODM has resolved to use the secret ballot method to pick its national officials.

Young Turks are set to battle it out with the old guards for the party’s top positions, with the list of those interested in the secretary general’s post growing to 10.

Newcomer and first term MP Simba Arati (Dagoretti North) is so far the only one who has expressed interest in challenging former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the position of party leader.

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has indicated he will be going for the position of deputy party leader while former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende is eying the position of party chairman. Ex-Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey is not keen to defend the seat, according to informed sources in ODM.

“I was approached by the party to offer myself for this position. I am still reflecting on the call and certainly in the next few days I will make up my mind and go public officially,” Marende told The Standard in an interview.

According to Marende, should he offer himself for the seat and win, there will be no rifts within the party and he says he will bank heavily on his long-standing experience to bring everyone together.

“This is a high stakes game and should I offer myself and win, my record to mediate and arbitrate is tried and tested, I am equal to the task and you know I think national,” Marende noted.

The former Speaker will fight it out with Funyula MP Paul Otwoma and South Mugirango’s Manson Nyamweya.

Nominated Senator Janet Ong’era, Eldas MP Adan Keynan and Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok will be battling for the slot of vice chairperson.

“I have nurtured this party from its inception and I have the capacity and capability to hold the position of vice chair; I am like the mother of the party,” Ms Ongera said.

Nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro, who wants to replace Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o as the party secretary general, warned that any efforts to endorse individuals would backfire. “We want to end the culture of issuing nominations to losers by the roadside or in hotels,” Ongera told The Standard.

Elect reformers

The list of those who are looking to replace Prof Nyong’o has been growing by the day; by yesterday it stood at 10 candidates. They include Ongoro, Nyong’o, MPs Ken Obura, Ababu Namwamba, Junet Mohamed, Nicholas Gumbo, John Mbadi, senators James Orengo and Agnes Zani and a Mr Joseph Chepkwony.

Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire and his Bomachoge Chache counterpart Simon Ogari, who are both gunning for the national treasurer’s seat, said the time had come for party members to elect reformers to revamp the party. Others are Omondi Anyanga (Nyatike) and Abdikadir Aden (Mbalabala).

“We want to ensure that the party is active at the grass roots level through reactivation activities so that members can start owning the party from the ground,” Ogari said.

Former Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa and Florence Mutua will square it out for the organising secretary’s position.

Executive Director Magerer Langat says the upcoming National Delegates Convention will use secret ballot to pick new national office bearers. 

This will be a radical shift from the traditional acclamation and consensus processes that were used during the party’s first NDC in the run-up to the 2007 General Election.

“We want to ensure that the process is free and fair so that delegates can have an opportunity to pick their national leaders without undue influence and manipulation,” Magerer told said.

In Western, leaders allied to the party have vowed to support their own in the February 28 and March 1 polls expected to be a litmus test for the party’s Western stronghold.

Lurambi MP Raphael Otaalo and nominated senator Daisy Kanainza have declared they would support candidates from Western.

Butere lawmaker Andrew Toboso, however, insisted that the party must use the polls to forge a national image if it is to remain relevant in the country’s politics.

“What we need to ask ourselves before and after the polls is whether ODM reflects the face of Kenya especially where it draws it biggest support. For relevance, we must remain a national party by electing leaders across the board,” Toboso said.