ODM leader Raila Odinga is set to chair a crucial management meeting on Friday to unveil a new leadership lineup to fill vacant positions within the party. The Central Management Committee meeting comes at a time when the party is facing internal wrangles, with various leaders vying for top roles.
In today’s meeting, Raila faces the challenge of managing his key allies, who are fiercely competing for vacant slots in the ODM national office. Regions that have traditionally been loyal to Raila are embroiled in intense battles for influential leadership positions, including the coveted deputy party leader roles.
The meeting is seen as pivotal in preventing a potential split within the party, as some high-ranking members have threatened to leave if they are not awarded top posts. An ODM politician familiar with the upcoming meeting said, “The Central Management Committee will meet on August 9 to discuss crucial matters, including resolving the ongoing leadership disputes.”
Raila’s two current deputies, Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, have been appointed Cabinet Secretaries for Mining and Blue Economy and Cooperatives and SMEs Development, respectively. This has left their positions vacant, with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir emerging as frontrunners to succeed them. Other contenders include Governors Simba Arati (Kisii) and Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi), who are reportedly interested in the deputy party leader roles. Arati, currently the ODM vice chairperson, is being considered for elevation to the chairperson position, although this has sparked some internal debate.
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ODM MPs from the Coast region are reportedly divided between supporting Mung’aro and Nassir, raising concerns about potential fractures in the party’s support base in the region. On Monday, during a meeting with Kisii and Nyamira MPs, Raila stated that neither of the two deputy party leader positions would be allocated to their region, signalling his intent to maintain a delicate regional balance within the party. The meeting, held at a Nairobi hotel, saw Raila dismiss Arati’s bid, emphasizing the need to adhere to the party’s regional balance strategy.
Raila is reportedly focused on ensuring that the deputy party leader positions are occupied by politicians from Western Kenya and the Coast, regions represented by Oparanya and Joho. Sifuna, who hails from Western Kenya but has a strong political base in Nairobi, is seen as a potential candidate for deputy party leader. If elevated, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi might replace him as the new Secretary-General.
The proposed leadership lineup, supported by some party stalwarts, is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition as several ODM luminaries have been co-opted into government roles. The deputy party leaders are expected to take on significant responsibilities, particularly with the party leader’s focus on the upcoming continental election in February next year.
The meeting will also address the vacancy in the chairperson position, left open following John Mbadi’s appointment to the Cabinet. There is speculation that Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga could be selected to replace Mbadi as the ODM National Chairperson, though some party members are considering Senator Moses Kajwang’ as an alternative. Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the chairmanship.
In recent days, women leaders within the party have increased pressure to ensure gender representation in the top ranks of the ODM, emphasizing the importance of including women in decision-making positions.
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