How last minute changes led to Raila's ODM shake-up

ODM leader Raila Odinga with the newly elected party leaders Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir, Simba Arati and Godfrey Osotsi at Capitol Hill Square. [Emmanuel Wanson, Standard]

A last-minute jostling saw Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement introduce a new deputy party leader position, with the opposition party awarding the chairperson position to Homa Bay Governor Glady’s Wanga. 

In new changes announced by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and Governors Simba Arati (Kisii) and Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir (Mombasa) were made Raila’s deputies, a decision made to calm growing tensions. 

“As you may have noticed, the Central Committee has proposed three names for Deputy Party Leader. We will be making a recommendation to the National Executive Council and the National Governing Council to make the necessary changes to our constitution to reflect this,” Sifuna said in a press statement, adding the party positions had attracted immense interest. 

ODM previously had two deputy party leader positions, recently vacated by Cabinet Secretaries Hassan Joho (Mining) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Co-operatives). On her part, Wanga succeeded National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. Some ODM women lawmakers recently lobbied for Wanga’s appointment to fulfil gender equity requirements. 

Kisumu West Member of Parliament took over as secretary for political affairs from Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in changes made during a meeting of the party’s Central Management Committee yesterday. 

The Standard had established that Raila’s party had planned to “return” the offices to regions that produced previous occupants as they, indeed, were. Sifuna and Nassir were poised to take up the deputy leader slots, but the Nairobi Senator was prevailed upon to retain his current role as secretary general. 

A section of politicians from Kisii had pushed to have Arati made Raila’s deputy, amid reports that Sifuna and Nassir were more favoured for the role. 

Sources told The Standard of initial efforts to water down the position and introduce three new deputy leaders to satisfy various regions. The call was reportedly made by members from Raila’s Nyanza backyard, who felt they had a stronger claim to the party. 

“They want a ‘pentagon’ at the top,” said a source who sought anonymity, revealing the plan to have five deputies to Raila, who is expected to cede the leadership to seek the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson position. 

Raila, who chaired the afternoon meeting, briefly left to meet former Somalia Foreign Affairs Minister Fawzia Yusuf Adam, who recently dropped her bid to chair the AUC. Raila, who would also visit politician Jimi Wanjigi’s home, said Adam had supported his AUC bid. 

In other changes, lawmakers John Ariko (Turkana South) and Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) take over as vice chairpersons, with Raila’s sister Ruth Odinga, also the Kisumu Women Representative, named deputy organising secretary. 

Kajiado East MP Kakuta Maimai is the new secretary for special programmes and social welfare, with Rahab Robi announced as the secretary for publicity and information.