Kakamega Azimio MCAs reject Raila's House leadership changes

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Raila Odinga and other leaders at Posta Grounds in Bungoma County during the party membership recruitment drive on January 17, 2024. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Azimio leadership wrangles in the Kakamega county assembly are far from over after two factions clashed over planned changes.

Fresh wrangles rocked the assembly after ODM leader Raila Odinga allegedly endorsed Shianda/ Marenyo MCA Geoffrey Ondiro as the new Majority Leader replacing Philip Maina (Marama West) who had earlier been ousted by the party.

Maina and Ondiro hail from Butere, which is also the home of ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya.

On Saturday night during an indoor meeting that was convened at Oparanya's Mabole residence, Raila is said to have endorsed Mr Ondero as the new Majority Leader and instructed Speaker James Namatsi to announce the new changes.

“Our party leader led two meetings one with elected MCAs and another one with nominated MCAs and he was clear by instructing our Speaker to announce the name of Ondiro as the Majority Leader on the floor of the House by Tuesday this week,” said the source.

But on Monday over 40 out of 60 ODM and Azimio MCAs vowed to back Maina saying they will not succumb to intimidation and threats from party leaders out to micro-manage them.

“We want to remind our party that we elected Maina as our Majority Leader and we will not allow intimidation from the party even if they write 100 letters, we will not allow it because we want to be governed by someone who has the goodwill of the majority of the MCAs,” said Deputy Speaker Bernard Shitiabayi.

Shirere MCA David Ikunza maintained that their Majority Leader is Maina, "we support him unless another meeting is convened to elect another leader."

“We respect our party leader Raila Odinga and the party structures, we elected Maina as our Majority Leader and we will work under him because we have not seen any problem. We had a meeting with our ODM Secretary General and National Chairman in Kisumu over the matter and we have not received any communication from the meeting that Maina is not our Majority Leader and therefore we are fully behind him,” said Ikunza.

The ward representatives urged ODM leaders to stop treating the House leadership as a party affair but as an Azimio affair arguing that it risks splitting the coalition and compromising its popularity in the county.

“ODM should know that the Azimio coalition has other affiliate parties and it is high time the party handles this issue as a coalition issue and not ODM affairs and it should move with speed to have a consultative meeting without any intimidation to solve this problem,” said Malaha/Isongo ward MCA Peter Walunya.

On Saturday, during the burial of Oparanya’s brother in Butere, Ondiro spoke as the new Majority Leader before Raila and other ODM top luminaries. He also introduced his colleagues present.

Governor Fernandes Barasa who attended the burial said there is no leadership vacuum in the Kakamega county assembly and he is ready to lead a consultative meeting with all ODM members.

ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, in a letter dated March 11 directed Speaker Namatsi to effect the leadership changes, a development that did not go down well with most MCAs and Governor Barasa, who accused Oparanya of meddling in county affairs.

“Pursuant to the resolution of the members of the majority party/coalition in the county assembly to remove Hon Philip Maina from the position of Majority Leader, the party has designated Hon Geoffrey Ondiro as his replacement. Kindly accord the honorable member with the necessary facilities to execute his mandate,” read Sifuna’s letter in part.