By Anderson Ojwang
Indeed, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Linda Ground faction promised a statement of intent ahead of the Kisumu rally – a promise of a show of political might over the control of Nyanza against the Linda Mwananchi faction of Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
After three weeks of mobilisation, a series of strategic meetings, and a hype of reclamation of the ODM faction, Linda Ground witnessed a bulging Kirembe Grounds in Kisumu.
In trucks and buses, they arrived and turned the ground orange. For the first time, the faction netted a big catch in luring Kisumu Governor and former acting ODM party leader, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, to attend a Linda Ground faction rally.
Nyong’o, who had previously given the meetings and rallies by the faction a wide berth, first hosted the team for breakfast at his Kisumu residence and later proceeded to the venue.
In his mien, Nyong’o said: “I had the pleasure of welcoming and hosting the leadership of our Party ODM led by Dr Oburu Oginga as we put our heads together to chart a way forward for ODM based on the original seed. Finally, one fact is clear: the future of ODM will not be decided only in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, or Migori. It will be shaped in every corner of Kenya where citizens still believe in justice, equality, and democratic change.”
But the celebration didn’t last long. When the party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga, rose to speak, he not only dampened the hearts of his allies, but his submission is likely to stir a major political shift.
Oburu told the crowd that he was ready to quit as the ODM party leader to avoid dividing the Luo community, to the chagrin and dismay of his allies.
“An ok ahero gima ilaro ma pogo oganda (I don’t like things that people fight over that divide the community). An adwaro ni gimora amora ka oponi an ema de apog oganda to ayie weyo (If it’s me who is bringing division to the community, I am ready to quit). Ka pon ni an ema de apog ogandawa to ayie weyo (If it’s me who is the cause of division, then I am ready to quit).”
Sunday’s Kirembe rally came to an abrupt anti-climax with Oburu’s submission when it finally dawned on him that the ship was capsizing under his own reign, presiding over the demise of his younger brother, the late Raila Odinga’s legacy.
“Ka uweyo chama ni ma opodho to kata owadwa ma raila mane ochako chama ni nyalo chuenou (If you leave the ODM party to die, even my brother Raila who founded the party will haunt you),” he said.
He pleaded with the people to continue supporting the party and said that he did not apply to be the party leader.
“Udhi nyime gi chama koso uweyo. Wadhi nyime gi chama koso uweyo (Are you still supporting the party or have you left it)? An bende Oburu Oginga ne ok ayiero ra kenda mondo abed party leader mar ODM, jowa ma uneo kaye ema ne oyiera kendo ne okelo nyinga (I, Oburu Oginga, did not make myself the party leader. I was given the opportunity by the party officials. Those people you saw here are the ones who elected me and brought my name forward),” he said.
Winnie Odinga vindicated
The Kisumu rally finally vindicated Winnie Odinga, who had said that the party leadership required new people to manage it and that the broad-based arrangement was a complex matter that only her father, Raila, understood.
During the ODM celebrations in Mombasa, Winnie called for a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to choose a new team to manage the broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto.
“There is something I wanted to tell you. When it came to the matter of the broad-based government, the people of ODM entrusted one person with the management of that relationship. That person was Baba Raila Amolo Odinga. That relationship is complicated, and therefore we are looking, and we are wondering: those who are taking it upon themselves to manage it now, are they capable of managing that relationship? I don’t think that is the question for me to answer. That is the question for the people of ODM to answer. That is why, party leader, I am requesting that we need to go back to the people and have an NDC to see who the people want to pick to manage that same relationship,” she said.
Oburu admitted for the first time that he never knew he would one day become the ODM party leader.
“An ne ok angeyo ni da bedi ODM party leader (I never knew I would be the ODM party leader). Jogi ema ne oneno ni Oburu Oginga oromo bedo party leader (It is those people who saw that Oburu Oginga was suited to be the party leader).”
The question arises: why didn’t they settle on Nyong’o, who had been acting when the late Raila was campaigning for the seat of AU Chairperson?
This echoes MP Caroli Omondi’s allegations that a stranger’s hand was driving ODM affairs and influencing the happenings in the party.
Party Secretary Edwin Sifuna went ahead to justify that the money currently being used by the party to run its programmes was not from the party coffers but from somewhere else.
Oburu’s submission that he is ready to quit will add fuel to the fire in the ongoing power battle between him and Orengo.
Currently, Orengo is enjoying a huge following in the region, and Linda Mwananchi is rating higher than Oburu’s Linda Ground in recent opinion polls.
