ODM meets today to discuss party’s flag bearer, BBI

Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.

Orange Democratic Movement’s top management organ will today meet to deliberate the party’s 2022 flag bearer and the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Last month, ODM invited persons interested to fly the party’s flag in next year’s General Election a resolution by the Central Management Committee, which sets agenda for the National Executive Council (NEC).

The meeting comes just after three county assemblies in the party’s Luo Nyanza stronghold passed the BBI’s Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2020 ahead of the planned referendum in June.

There have been concerns that delay in naming the party’s presidential candidate has repeatedly affected its chances of winning the country’s top-most seat.

Raila has not come out to declare that he would take a stab at the presidency, for the fifth time, only shyly hinting that he would still be active in politics in 2022.

Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Hassan Joho (Mombasa) have sent letters to the party’s National Election Board, indicating their desire to bag the party’s presidential ticket and battle it out with Deputy President William Ruto and other potential aspirants.

NEC, the party’s the top decision-making organ, is also expected to deliberate a myriad of other issues within the party, including filling the party’s vacant positions from the grass roots, 2022 politics and the upcoming by-elections in Matungu constituency and the Kiamokama ward in Kisii County.

The organ will also look at the businesses in both the National Assembly and the Senate, with a view to ensuring the party’s agenda sails through.

Today’s NEC to be chaired by Raila, will ratify decisions of the Central Management Committee, which in the past has come up with a number of deliverables, including the rebranding of the party and recruitment of the presidential candidate.

Part of the resolution was to engage in a structured and formal negotiations with partners and allies on all matters.

Governor Oparanya, the deputy party leader, yesterday confirmed that today’s meeting would largely be about the 2022 elections, the BBI process and the by-elections.

“I have applied to be the party’s flag bearer for 2022, but we will know who the other contenders are after the application deadline. For now, we are waiting as I position myself strategically,” said Oparanya.

Party chairman John Mbadi said the NEC is a “routine get-together” of top party officials to strategise and reposition the party in readiness for next year’s General Election.

Sell agenda

“We will ratify the resolutions of the CMC and discuss progress of National Elections Board (NEB) chaired by Prof Catherine Mumma on applicants for the presidential ticket before setting a date for a delegates meeting to allow them to sell their agendas,” Mr Mbadi said.

Mbadi said he was yet to confirm if the party leader had applied but exuded confidence that Raila would definitely do so.

“There are deliberations going on as we near the deadline for submission of the application for the party ticket, but by the time the delegates meet, we will have the list of the aspirants,” said Mbadi, who is also the National Assembly Minority leader and Suba South Member of Parliament.

Mbadi said the process of identifying a presidential candidate would promote party democracy and asked the aspirants to engage members and share their aspirations.

While addressing ODM and Jubilee representatives from Nairobi, Raila said that his party would have a re-election agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s party and other like-minded political outfits.

In the run up to the 2017 elections, ODM entered into a pre-election coalition with Wiper, Amani National Congress and Ford Kenya parties under the umbrella of National Super Alliance (Nasa). In 2013, Raila’s party signed a pact with coalition partners Wiper and Ford Kenya under the banner of Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord).

Flag bearer

In both elections, Raila was the flag bearer.

ODM’s elections director Junet Mohammed told The Standard that the application window was open until February 26.

“Raila has to apply. He has no choice. If he doesn’t apply, he will be locked out,” said Junet, who is also the National Assembly Minority Whip.

He confirmed that today’s NEC meeting would discuss the BBI, 2022 politics and the upcoming by-elections.

ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna said the NEC meeting was a regular meeting that they would use to look at party matters and plan ahead.

“We did not have a NEC meeting in the last quarter of last year in December. That is why we planned the meeting....,” said Mr Sifuna.

Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Oginga, has also said Raila he will vie for presidency.

Jubilee vice chair David Murathe said BBI would provide for an expanded Executive that would be led by Raila.