Orange Democratic Movement moves to contain TNA’s growing support

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has launched a programme to consolidate its support base in Nairobi and counter similar initiatives by The National Alliance (TNA).

It has also restructured its party organs and modified its nomination rules with an eye on the 2017 General Election.

ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen says the political outfit will have a national office whose highest decision making organ will be the National Delegates Convention.

“The second tier will be the county party office whose highest decision making organ will be the County Delegates Conference,” he said.

Ong’wen’s announcement came just days after 340 ODM delegates from the city, under Nairobi County ODM chairman George Aladwa, congregated at County Hall to map out activities that will help popularise the party.

Nairobi County remains the country’s most competitive and dynamic political space and its control by giant political parties would guarantee considerable influence. Between them, ODM and TNA share all the 17 constituencies in Nairobi county; TNA has nine seats while ODM has eight. ODM won the governor’s seat while TNA has the senator and county women representative seats.

At the Nairobi County Assembly, ODM enjoys the majority of seats and, therefore, controls the legislative agenda of Kenya’s most important county assembly.

Recently Jubilee has made spirited efforts to maintain its foothold in parts of Nairobi and TNA   legislators  have been touring churches every Sunday to promote the party.

This seems to have rattled ODM and recently 20 delegates from each of the 17 constituencies in Nairobi met to propose party activities.

“We summoned 340 delegates for a meeting whose agenda was to reclaim ODM’s place as the most dominant political force in the city ahead of 2017, and to neutralise the effects of TNA’s recent promotional activities,” Aladwa said.

The former Nairobi mayor said apart from popularising ODM, they will also be seeking to boost support for Okoa Kenya’s referendum initiative that is being championed by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) of which the Orange party is a corporate member.  CORD has launched a people’s initiative to amend the constitution with a view to increasing the statutory allocation that counties get from national revenue from 15 per cent to 45 per cent, among a list of other proposed changes.

The ODM meeting resolved that eight MPs and MCAs will steer a campaign to popularise the party and its leader Raila Odinga.

Raila is keen to consolidate ODM’s presence and visibility in the city, especially after the retirement of former minister Fred Gumo, then an influential MP who represented Westlands constituency for many years.

Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, another influential former ODM face in the city,  defected to TNA.

Aladwa was prevailed upon by Raila to step down as the party’s Deputy National Organising Secretary and take over leadership of the party in Nairobi as chair.

“The party leader had a feeling Nairobi needed a strong and battle-hardened person and when he requested that I relinquish the national seat and concentrate on restructuring Nairobi, I obliged,” said Aladwa.

Raila is also keen to unite ODM MCAs and the county leadership under Kidero. It has been reported that Kidero and the County Assembly Majority Leader Elias Otieno do not see eye to eye, and their differences is undermining the ODM’s performance in the county.