Raila campaign teams work on strategy to speak with one voice

Even as he continues to woo more partners to his side, with Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka top on his list, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has opted for the “negotiate-as-you-advance” strategy.

Ideally, it is race against time for the Raila-led Azimio la Umoja Movement as the former prime minister pieces together several campaign and administrative teams, while maintaining a presence on the campaign trail.     

“We are not slowing down because time is not on our side. We will continue to engage partners and the charm offensive at the same time,” ODM’s director of elections, Junet Mohamed said yesterday while on the campaign trail in Nyamira and Kisii counties.

Junet’s reaction comes a day after Raila unveiled the Advisory Council Team, whose members include former Head of Civil Service and Aldai MP, Dr Sally Kosgei, media businessman, S K Macharia, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Francis ole Kaparo, US-based law lecturer Prof Makau Mutua and governors Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu) and Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya (Kakamega).

The council, comprising experienced politicians and highly respected and influential professionals, will be chaired by Raila himself.

Besides offering Raila the much-needed advice on campaign strategies, the team – according to reliable sources – is expected to help him hold the Azimio team together and resolve arising disputes, if any, especially in the upcoming nomination exercise, which is expected to be challenging.

With Raila and Kalonzo anticipated to team up, amid tension owing to political baggage and misunderstanding from their past, the council’s job seems well cut out already.

On this one, however, President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to steer the mediation, as hinted by the former vice president.

The Standard has reliably established that this team will work in tandem with the Raila think-tank, under the chairmanship of Prof Makau.

Other members of the team, whose primary role is to design poll winning strategies as well as strategies to counter progress of rival camps, include Nairobi-based lawyer, Paul Mwangi, who also doubles as Raila’s legal counsel, Prof Peter Wanyande and Kibwezi West politician, Seth Kakusye.

Raila’s campaign board, which was constituted earlier, is largely made up of governors; Oparanya, Nyong’o, James Ongwae (Kisii), Hassan Ali Joho (Mombasa) and Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia) who is the chair.

Others are Dr Elizabeth Meyo as chief executive and secretary to the board, Prof Wanyande, S K Macharia, former Nyeri County MP, Priscilla Nyokabi, Kakusye and lawyer, Saitabao Kanchori.

The above teams are accordingly served by a campaign secretariat, whose members include spokesmen Dennis Onyango (Raila), Dennis Onsarigo (Raila campaign) and Phillip Etale (ODM), as well various technical officers.  

Considering the presence of several lobby groups, including the one led by Raila’s wife Ida, there are ideally many groups in this campaign.

Pundits now fear that unless their roles are well defined and the grey areas in their operations eliminated, efforts of the teams could be counterproductive.

“There is a danger, not only for utter confusion but for political competition and sibling rivalry. If not well coordinated, this is a scenario that can be fully exploited by Azimio’s rivals to the detriment of Raila’s candidature,” warned Dr Henry Wabwire, a commentator on political affairs. 

The political pundit observes that this situation could get more complicated with the entry of new players in Azimio, say the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) principals, should their talks with leaders of Azimio become fruitful.

Besides the Wiper party leader, OKA comprises party leaders, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi of Kanu, Martha Karua (Narc-Kenya) and Cyrus Jirongo (United Democratic Party). 

“Both parties, particularly President Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila and Kalonzo have expressed willingness to team up, which is a good thing for them because it increases these leaders’ chances of winning. However, their merger will create some jostling which is a necessary political discomfort,” says Dr Wabwire. 

According to Arthur Odera, the move is designed to reach a wider audience and if well executed, it can produce “very positive results”.

“The many campaign outfits should not be a source of worry to anyone. What would be critical is the coordination of these entities and as long as the groups are well aligned and have the same objective then there should be no problem,” says the former Teso North MP. 

Odera  however warns of consequences in the event the messaging by the various groups is not coordinated.

Campaign operations, he observes, can also be heavily compromised, leading to sibling rivalry with the Azimio member parties “if the coordinating committee is not strong”.