Millie Odhiambo: The night call that made me bag 2007 ODM nomination

“The year 2005 marked a turning point in my life. I was in my office, working late, when I got a call from a friend, Prof Jacqueline Oduol, who was at the time, working as a consultant.

 She requested me to appear the next day at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre as a panellist in a women’s public debate on the draft Constitution.

There had been a lot of excitement and public discourse was at fever pitch in relation to the forthcoming referendum on the Constitution. The country was divided into two: Orange for those who supported the draft Constitution and Banana for the opposing side.

The Banana team was apparently way ahead in the game and had, as its head of delegation, a prominent and brilliant woman lawyer, Jean Kamau, who was, coincidentally, my former boss at the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya.

The focus was to be on the issues of women’s rights as addressed in the draft Constitution.

It was believed that since I had been a Bomas delegate, I must have been opposed to the “Kilifi” draft, and indeed, I was.

This made me a natural choice, followed by the fact that I was also a lawyer, seen as an able debater and with the ability to handle the Banana team.

Up until then, newspapers and other media outlets often referred to me as a child or women’s rights activist. I had no clue what the tag meant and didn’t mind because I had never given it much thought. I was reluctant to participate in this debate for two reasons.

Political undertones

 First, the notice was rather short, second, as a member of the Civil Society, I was uneasy with the political undertones the process was taking. After much persuasion, however, I reluctantly accepted to participate in the great women’s debate.

 The debate was attended by women from across the country and there was heavy media presence. Even though I had been told I would be the head of the Orange delegation, I ended up as one of the two other panellists.

This was because there had been misgivings that though I was to appear on the Orange side, I was not really “Orange’’ as Orange had its owners or “ina wenyewe”. This was a terminology I would later come to appreciate when I went into full-time politics.

My presentation resonated very well with viewers and the media as demonstrated by the attention I received at the end of the debate. I noted the new-found look of admiration from members of the Fourth Estate. The women looked at me with awe and they even came to me for autographs.

All the photos of me, which had been taken by the paparazzi, were sold out by the time I stepped out of the hall. I felt like a celebrity and that became a defining moment in my life. I could feel it. It was what author Malcolm Gladwell refers to as “The Tipping Point”.

Orange side

After that, I was inundated with invitations to speak on the Constitution by the Orange side and other opponents of the Constitution. There were times I would be in various media houses even four times in one day!

 The most memorable one was at the peak of the Constitutional campaigns

All media houses decided to pool together and broadcast live coverage of a few debates specifically at prime time. Almost the whole country was glued to their screens for these special debates.

 I was invited to one of these debates that focused on women’s issues in the Constitution. The debates often had political heavyweights on both sides.

The panellists for this specific show were four and included the late Mutula Kilonzo, (a renowned lawyer, then a first-time Member of Parliament, and who subsequently served as the Minister for Justice, Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs and also as Minister for Education), and myself on the Orange side.

 On the Banana side, was a renowned and celebrated human rights lawyer and Member of Parliament, the late Mirugi Kariuki and Beth Mugo, a veteran Member of Parliament who was also then a minister. I appeared like a midget before these political heavyweights.

Mutula was concerned and wondered how I had been allowed in the panel to take on these heavyweights. I was later told he wasn’t the only one worried, many other Orange supporters too questioned the criteria that was used to select a “political nondescript” or novice and not a seasoned politician or powerhouse like the other side had done.

The stakes were high, the whole country was watching and any small blunder would be costly. But I was not deterred. The focus was on women’s rights, a subject that I was not only passionate about but had expertise on and was ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone.

Beth and I were to be the focus of the debate since it was about women, with the other members only giving us minimal support. I remember when I was asked the first question, Mutula tried to intervene thinking it was a little too complex for me.

The other side interjected and insisted that I, and not Mutula, respond. I told Mutula to relax, as I could manage. As I spoke on and started dismantling the Banana team, Mutula took on a relaxed pose with an almost cheeky look on his face and kept saying: “Tell them, Mille, tell them.” He proudly reminded them that he had taught me in law school.

My performance was astounding and top-notch, judging by the responses I received.

Overwhelmed caller

For the first time, I was unable to answer my phone just by the sheer number of calls I received. My message box filled up within seconds, with congratulatory messages from all over Kenya, even from persons I did not know.

One caller was totally overwhelmed and was screaming as she left a message: “You have done us proud, oh my gosh! Does anyone have an alternative number, I need to reach this woman!” I, too, was overwhelmed. For the first time in my life, the media used the word “leader” to refer to me after the show. I was intrigued.

How had I transformed from an activist to a leader?

 I flew to Bangkok that night for an international women’s conference and thought the issue was history.

However, on my return, when I walked down the streets, people reacted in a manner that utterly overwhelmed me. I was swarmed by members of the public. I had become a celebrity.

 I quietly went back to my life as a women and children’s advocate and tried to avoid the public as much as possible. This was because I didn’t know how to deal with the sudden intrusive nature of interest in me as I am generally by nature, a very private person.

The Orange Movement, which had successfully fought against the Constitution, had converted to a party.

A while later, while on a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, and the US, I read in the media that there had been ODM internal party elections and Otieno Kajwang, the then firebrand ODM Member of Parliament for Mbita, and one of Raila Odinga’s key point men, was reported to have suffered a staggering, humiliating political loss as his key allies were said to have lost the party’s grassroots elections.

My brother, Dan, and a good friend, Mark, asked me to come to the aid of Kajwang.

I remember my response to Mark was that I needed a month to consult and also pray about it before I could respond. His response was that we did not have a whole month to pray and I needed to shorten my consultation with all, including God.

Little experience

Not seeing myself then as a politician, I very reluctantly agreed to help. Despite having little experience, I soon became Kajwang’s campaign manager and steered the process to the end. It was a tough ride as the ground was largely hostile and I had no political experience.

My first notable engagement was at a fundraiser at my father’s ancestral village, Kolo in Rusinga Island. I remember constantly calling back Dan and Mark as we drove from Nairobi to Kolo.

My public Luo-speaking at that time was not very good and I was a tad elitist and did not know how to properly engage a crowd at home. Dan assured me it was okay to mix English and Luo and also gave me an interesting story to narrate about a person scoring an own goal. 

Kajwang’s major opponent was Sam Wakiaga from Rusinga Island and hence this was his perceived stronghold.

Unbeknown to me, my speech, apparently, created very interesting political reactions at the village.

My next major engagement was at a rally at Onundo stadium in Mbita town. It was an interesting event as Kajwang’s team did not trust me since I come from Rusinga like his opponent Wakiaga and yet Wakiaga’s people did not trust me either.

I was fairly young, very petite and politically naïve. This is generally seen as a bad combination for politics. There were a lot of intrigues throughout the day and I remember at one point in the ferry, on my way to the event, a younger lawyer, Silas Jakakimba, a Wakiaga ally, who I did not know then, came and ordered me out of my own car saying the owner of the car, (I did not look like I could own the car), had said Raila was going to use it and so we must get out.

Apparently, Raila was with us on the ferry. I had been given Kajwang’s number and told to call him and tell him I had come to support him. When I called, he told me off in not very kind words as his team had told him I was seen talking to a Jakakimba.

Another lawyer

By the time I arrived at the venue, all the seats were taken (I had no clue in politics it is survival of the fittest. I thought there would be a seat waiting for me). When Kajwang was given a chance to call his team, he ignored me. I had to whisper to another lawyer, Otiende Amollo, who was part of Raila’s team to tell Raila to invite me to speak.

Unfortunately, most MPs who had come in solidarity with Kajwang’ were scared when they saw a large hostile crowd and were not forthright in their support. I spoke in support of Kajwang’ amid cheers and jeers. Our next stop was at a funeral in Rusinga at Wakiaga’s village. I did not understand a lot of local dynamics then and would have supported Kajwang’ in Wakiaga’s own backyard.

Sometimes this is where divine intervention helps. Out of the blue, I suddenly had a severe running stomach and missed the event and only joined the team in Mfangano after forcing myself on a boat with only MPs, amidst opposition from Ayiecho Olweny and the Wakiaga team that had hired the boats.

Looking bemused

I remember that is the first time I met Ken Obura who was part of that team. He stood aside looking bemused at my insistence and he eventually ordered for another boat to break the stalemate. For sure, it was baptism by fire! I consequently got into full campaigns for Kajwang’ and learnt and grew through the process. Through a combination of factors, including my support, he later made it as the party’s flag-bearer for Mbita.

The party primaries were hectic and physically exacting. On the last two days, I had an excruciating headache that could not respond to any medication. My head had to be physically supported by Madam Jane Okong’o who was one of the people in our campaign team even as we had our thanksgiving prayers at midnight in Waondo SDA church.

It was suspected that I had suffered a mild stroke but could not easily get proper medical attention as there were riots all over Nyanza over dissatisfaction with party primaries in some areas.

I was admitted to Homa Bay District Hospital for a short while but it appeared I needed urgent and further treatment. It was difficult reaching Kisumu as youths were blocking most roads and we had to constantly negotiate with irate party supporters on the route to Kisumu. I was later flown to Nairobi, where an ambulance picked me from the airport.

Fortunately, it turned out to be a case of strained nerves and I was put on complete bed-rest with relaxants for a week. While recuperating, I came to learn that even though ODM had emerged the most popular party, botched primaries in several parts of the party’s stronghold had resulted in major fallouts that were threatening its popularity.

Having by now, been bitten by the infamous political bug, there was no looking back and I came up with and mobilised private resources for a group: Western Kenya Presidential Campaign. The sole purpose was to repair damage to the party, especially in Nyanza, Western and the Rift Valley regions, where disaffection was at an all-time high.

I sold this skeletal idea to Mark and Kajwang’ while I was recuperating. Kajwang’ immediately called Oburu Odinga and informed him of this idea. Oburu then called Raila who was very happy with it and added Moses Sirma, Chris Okemo and Paddy Ahenda to our team. This team later turned into the second most important and powerful presidential campaign unit and hosted no less than 40 ODM parliamentarians. We campaigned in more than 50 constituencies. Of these, only two seats were lost.

The general elections were conducted satisfactorily. Later, though, violence of unprecedented proportions broke out due to disputed results and more than 1,000 people lost their lives in the infamous 2007/2008 post-election violence.

The ODM party - due to the majority it garnered in the House - got six of the 12 slots for nominated Members of Parliament. It soon started to receive recommendations for persons to nominate to Parliament through these special seats.

Even though I was the initiator, coordinator and primary sponsor of the popular Western Kenya Presidential Campaign team, I did not consider myself a top contender for these slots because I was not a party insider. Our Western Kenya Campaign initiative was not anchored in the formal party structures and machinery.

I, indeed, led a group of women in identifying and lobbying for the women we wanted to be nominated for the slots. Though I was the initiator of this lobby, my name was not on the list. We suggested Prof Oduol, Janet Ongera and Rosa Buyu to represent Nyanza; Sophia Abdi Noor for North Eastern among others.

We visited many people in our lobbying including the Pentagon members. The Pentagon comprised the five top political leadership of the party at that time, led by the party leader, Raila. We also visited other influential people including Ida Odinga, the wife of our party leader, and MPs, amongst others. Interestingly, my name started featuring elsewhere in these discussions, or so I was informed. I was eventually among the six who were nominated to Parliament. I was informed, though, that one of the questions several party insiders and owners kept asking was: who the hell is this Millie?

I was intrigued. When did I go from being publicly acclaimed as a leader just a few months earlier to who the hell is this Millie?