ODM's top organ meets to replace officials appointed to cabinet

Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is this Friday, scheduled to pick replacements for party leaders who were appointed to President William Ruto's Cabinet.

Raila will chair a meeting of the Central Management Committee to pick interim officials ahead of elections to pick substantive office holders.

The positions up for grabs are two deputy party leaders, vacated by Cabinet Secretaries Hassan Joho (Mining) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives) and the ODM chairperson that was held by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.

The committee will also decide on Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi's replacement as ODM secretary for political affairs.

The vacant positions have attracted interest from within the party's ranks. Raila faces the tough task of filling the top leadership positions amid reports that he initially pushed for consensus.

Besides Nyanza, the former Western and Coast provinces are perceived ODM strongholds. With Raila's Nyanza backyard producing the party leader, the Central Management Committee is expected to balance the leadership positions across other strongholds.

The Standard has reliably established that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir are the front runners in the race for deputy party leader posts.

They face competition from Governors Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Simba Arati (Kisii). A section of women lawmakers recently lobbied to have Wanga picked as Raila's deputy to ensure gender equity. Sources told The Standard that the gender question was addressed when Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo was picked as National Assembly Minority Whip.

Similarly, insiders revealed that ODM could replace Sifuna with one of his deputies, Busia Women Representative Catherine Omanyo and Agnes Zani. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, interested in the deputy party leadership, could be prevailed upon to replace Sifuna.

Insiders said the party favoured returning the positions to the regions that previously produced the occupants.

The formula favours Sifuna and Nassir, who also enjoy Raila's trust to be his deputies. Sifuna has been the party's secretary general since 2018 and steered it to solidify support in Western in the 2022 General Election. Nassir, on the other hand, is Raila's loyalist and is considered an heir to Joho at the Coast. Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro is also interested replacing Joho as deputy party leader.

There were concerns that moving Sifuna to the less visible deputy party leader position may seem like a demotion he has been the face and voice of the party.

"I can do just as well in any other role. The role is as good as the person occupying it," the Nairobi senator told The Standard.

If selected, the pair will be a step closer to the party leadership, with Raila expected to relinquish the position in February next year if he clinches the African Union Commission chairperson position. ODM's constitution requires the deputy party leader to act as leader in the absence of the top boss.

Wanga, too, could ultimately benefit if selected to replace Mbadi as the chairperson, a role that has also attracted Senators Moses Kajwang' (Homa Bay) and Eddy Oketch (Migori), as well as Nyando MP Jared Okello.

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, recently picked to chair the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee, said he was not aware of any plans by the Central Management Committee to fill the top party leadership positions, as they are elective. He previously declared interest in succeeding Oparanya.