A gag order by National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed to members of Raila Odinga’s Orange party over engaging other parties is causing jitters in the opposition party.
Some lawmakers are concerned that the party is sending mixed signals over its broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto.
The directive essentially barred ODM lawmakers from interacting with Ruto, directing that lawmakers must go through Junet or the parliamentary leadership.
“I have been instructed by the party leadership to inform you that we are still and remain the Minority party in parliament. In light of that, you are hereby requested to ENGAGE with me and the parliamentary leadership of both houses whenever you participate on political matters outside the party,” said Junet in a message sent out last week.
“We need to agree on the nature, scope and message for the political engagement. This is not in any way meant to deny any political rights but we are a political party that has its own rules to do their business.”
It is not clear whether Wiper or Jubilee lawmakers got the text as they are part of the minority Azimio.
ODM’s leadership has not formally spoken on the matter, but Embakasi East MP Babu Owino said he had received the message. His Saboti colleague Caleb Amisi denied knowledge of it.
Sources confided in The Sunday Standard that lawmakers were confused about whether or not they were to be cordial with Ruto, amid claims of double standards by top party honchos.
Some, concerned about having to go through middlemen, want the party to enter into a formal coalition with UDA to end the confusion that a recent meeting of ODM county leaders highlighted.
“The meeting called on the unity of all its leaders and the need to speak in one voice on critical matters affecting the party to avoid confusing the party rank and file,” said the statement issued on Wednesday.
ODM has sent mixed signals about its association with Ruto. While the party insists that no partnership exists between them, they have recently joined forces to send former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua home.
Party members were mobilised to support an impeachment motion tabled in Parliament by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse. They voted against Gachagua almost to a person and unanimously voted for Kithure Kindiki as his replacement.
Raila, the de facto leader, has accompanied Ruto on several trips abroad as the President campaigns for the former premier’s bid for the African Union Commission chairperson position.
Raila’s party was also represented during Kindiki’s inauguration on Friday, even though the party’s entire national leadership was absent.
Talks of a formal coalition featured when Ruto picked five ODM members - John Mbadi (Treasury), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives), Hassan Joho (Mining) and Beatrice Askul (East African Community) - to join his Cabinet.
Last month, ODM’s National Executive Committee met in Mombasa, in a meeting that had been planned for legitimising its union with UDA. A legitimate partnership, some MPs have argued, will result in ODM claiming more stake in Ruto’s government.
“Ruto has opened the government doors to us and we want to share our plans with government officials for the development of our region without any limitations,” said a lawmaker from Nyanza who sought anonymity.
Siaya Governor James Orengo, who pushed for a formal agreement, warned that the party risked being disenfranchised with unknown terms of engagement.
Such are the lessons that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua learned in hindsight. He entered Ruto’s UDA without a formal agreement, as he recently admitted, as other Kenya Kwanza affiliates made specific demands.
Makadara MP George Aladwa, a supporter of the so-called broad-based government, argued the party was in no rush to join UDA.
“We still have three years left to the next election and are still in Azimio. We are not in any hurry,” said Aladwa, who defended Junet’s directive as “necessary to tame over-excitement among some ODM MPs.”
“Many have gone overboard and purported to speak for the party. Party structures must be respected,” he added.
Amisi believes joining a coalition with UDA would be a “bad idea.”
“The masses have rejected this government. I don’t think we should join UDA,” he said.
Babu, a critic of the broad-based arrangement, said there were other priorities other than teaming up with Ruto.
“I am fighting for Kenyans who have challenges over high cost of living, over-taxation, unemployment, the new university funding model and the Social Health Insurance Fund,” said the Embakasi East MP.
A union between Ruto and Raila would not be strange, given the pair were on the same side during the 2007 polls. Ruto, then one of ODM’s deputy leaders, supported Raila’s candidacy and the latter’s claim to the throne in a disputed result.
The then Eldoret North MP would be part of Raila’s team in negotiations with President Mwai Kibaki, securing Raila the premiership.
Their new alliance has secured Ruto some stability and he is already reaping support from Raila’s strongholds as was evidenced during a tour of Nyanza, Western and the Coast.