What Raila Odinga would say to ODM if he rose today

ODM leader Raila Odinga addresses a press briefing after the party's Central Committee meeting in Nairobi, on July 2, 2024.  [File, Standard]

Listening to Oburu Oginga’s allies within ODM so far, one gets the impression that the content of their politics is not inspired by Raila Odinga’s style and substance, which raises the question: has Raila’s progressive spirit already left the ODM body?

Pronouncements by leaders and supporters allied to Oburu sound like a “cut and paste” from the days before the multiparty era. They condemn wings that appear independent-minded, curse, threaten, deify leaders, and confine themselves to personality conflicts while ignoring policies and issues. We are yet to hear what President William Ruto has promised to do differently should ODM join him. All we are being told is how power will be shared after winning elections together.

Notably, at no time did Raila form a coalition without reform proposals. Contrary to this approach, the ODM Central Committee under Oburu appears to be anchoring its partnership with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance purely on power-sharing, if their public pronouncements are anything to go by. 

ODM’s 20-year journey has seen it regarded as the people’s party since its beginnings in 2005. Its manifesto championed land reforms, devolution, historical justice, gender parity, punishment of perpetrators of human rights violations, past and present, the fight against corruption, and the alignment of national governance institutions with the realisation of social justice in its broadest sense.

Where are these issues in the ongoing consultations led by Oburu? As Winnie Odinga argues, and indeed she is making heads turn, ODM was forged on struggle and sacrifice. 

Truth be told, time has shredded most of these agenda items leaving the current ODM preoccupied with appointments to government positions as symbols of achievement. “We have our first Minister for Finance since independence” they tell us. If history is a guide then Raila Odinga’s position on the issues crafting the destiny of ODM today can be sourced from his rich life. 

To do this, we must define Raila Odinga. Was he a revolutionary, a reformer and crusader for human rights?  Was he a progressive or was he a conservative, a self- seeker and ally of immoral and corrupt leaders in power?  No.

The answer to these questions would be obvious if we deleted the last few years of his 80 years stretch on earth. His politics in the last two years may have been influenced by his health. 

When I met Governor James Orengo at his home last year, I asked him: “Was Raila killed or was his death due to illness?”. 

He replied: “The last two years have been hard for Raila. He has been in and out of hospital due to illness.” He concluded by saying that Raila’s death may have been due to known diseases.

Against this backdrop, it is reasonable to argue that judgements made during this period of ill health should not define his true legacy. Therefore, it is Raila the progressive that we should consider as we reflect on ODM’s trajectory today.

On leadership, Raila would never have picked his brother Oburu to lead ODM if he knew he was going to die. He would have appointed Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o. Indeed, Nyong’o was the guardian of the party ideology in Raila’s prime time, the best ODM Secretary General so far and his choice for Governor of Kisumu County. Nyong’o proposed Hon Edwin Sifuna to be appointed ODM Secretary General and Raila agreed. 

In case the Nyong’o option was not feasible, Raila would have gone for James Orengo. Remember that Orengo was his first choice when he took leave to vie for AU chairmanship, but the influence of Suna East Mp Junet Mohammed and Homabay governor Gladys Wanga caused him to change his mind and appoint Nyong’o instead. 

By contrast, Oburu participated in politics largely from a comfort zone. Jaramogi’s eldest son does not know the smell of tear gas, prison or exile. He was never at the forefront. No wonder he is often credited with reminding Raila that “you can’t fight all your life.” This advice preceded the handshakes. Nyong’o, by contrast, experienced it all with Raila, hence my belief that he would have been Raila’s choice.

What would Raila have done about Sifuna and his team’s resistance to joining UDA? First, I do not believe this was Sifuna’s position alone. Knowing Raila, it is likely Sifuna acted on Raila’s own counsel.

Sifuna’s radical posture was necessary in Raila’s negotiations with Ruto. Had Raila withdrawn from the coalition, Sifuna would have been instrumental in rehabilitating Raila’s radical credentials ahead of the 2027 presidential campaign.

Internal purge

Around this time, I was hurriedly appointed director within the party with a clear mandate to neutralise ideological moles at the secretariat.

Ababu was believed to have had a deal with Ruto to take over the party and collapse it into one political monolith. Years later, that deal appears to be openly and enthusiastically executed by Oburu Odinga.

In Ababu’s case, Raila restrained himself. He refused to remove him and ordered his allies to slow down. When some ODM MPs urged him to sack Ababu, he replied: “What that boy gives me, none of you can. Leave him alone. Let me handle it.” Such was his confidence and respect for competent youth leadership.

Oburu’s handling of his disagreement with Sifuna marks a departure from Raila’s style. While feigning reconciliation, he has unleashed attacks on Sifuna. Instead of slowing matters down to allow time for resolution, Oburu has allowed Ruto to set the pace.

Raila was slow to act; he allowed rebels to exhaust their defiance before welcoming them back through forgiveness. Oburu’s allies, by contrast, continue to widen divisions by urging dissenters to quit the party.”

Before Raila died, he was quoted to have ordered ODM members to respect Nyong’o and Orengo’s stands on the party’s trajectory. He went further to tell members that Sifuna was the spokesperson of the party and called on them to accord him respect. 

Oburu on the other hand gives pretentious advisories rather than orders to his allies. Raila would generally never agree with Oburu on this management style. 

On the matter of the ideological direction of the party, it should be easy to determine where Raila would be. Raila had a favourite child whom he travelled with all over the world. That child was his last born, one Winnie Odinga. They ate tear gas together and survived assassination attempts together. Raila also had a comrade in arms in all his years in politics. That comrade was mama Ida Odinga. 

How come his confidants are uncomfortable with Ruto? Are we saying that Oburu and his family knew Raila more than Ida and Winnie? Is it a coincidence that Raila’s lifelong comrades Nyong’o and Orengo have rejected the broad-based arrangement? Clearly, those who support Ruto do so without Raila’s blessing.

Family strength

Aware of the legitimising weight the family’s stance carries within ODM, a smear campaign was launched to delegitimise them. Those who called Raila “Baba” in life and attacked his family in death should repent.

Gangs of malicious people should know that freedom fighters are parents of all children. Fidel Castro never married, but regarded all Cuban children as his own. Comrade Ho Chi Min in whose honor the Capital City of Vietnam was named, refused to marry arguing that there were enough children who would call him father. When his country buried him, it called him “Uncle Ho Chi Min”

Political prisoners who leave prison the world over, often encounter situations where their wives or partners got into relations that led to children being born. All of us, me included, appreciated the precarious situations that led to children being born while we were away. Raila would shed a tear in anger against those who seek to disinherit his children who came with his hard earned legacy. 

On the future of the party, Raila would accuse the current leadership of having given up on the future. He would question why those who have dreams for a better future are being pushed out of the party? He would also challenge them, in their countrywide deliberations, to outline their vision besides supporting Ruto for a second term. 

He would conclude by asking them not to misrepresent him by imagining his political will for selfish gains. Finally, he would ask the younger generation to read his auto biography The Flame of Freedom.