By Anderson Ojwang
Kisumu, for the first time, hosted the new Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga, three months after it received the body of the enigma, Raila Amolo Odinga.
Then Kisumu bled, and tears freely flowed as residents bade farewell to the party leader with a promise that his party and legacy would be protected.
And on Saturday, Kisumu welcomed Dr Oburu, and indeed he had a date with destiny — a rough road and drive to Ciala Resort, the venue of the meeting.
The first reality check Dr Oburu received was the absence of the host governor, Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, with whom he had spent hours in consultative engagement on the eve of the meeting.
Dr Oburu wrote on his X handle: “We held a productive and in-depth discussion on the future of our great party, ODM, with the Kisumu Governor, Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, ahead of the Kisumu ODM delegates’ meeting and the Linda Grounds engagement. Gavana amesema ako tayari kulinda ground ya Kisumu. Je, wewe uko tayari?”
At the venue, the master of ceremonies repeatedly told the crowd that Governor Nyong’o would arrive at any time — but that never happened.
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, the younger sister of Dr Oburu, also skipped the function, as did Siaya Governor James Orengo.
If anything, the absence was just the tip of the iceberg of what awaited Dr Oburu, and as the meeting progressed, ODM Deputy Vice-Chairman Dr Otiende Amollo took the bull by the horns and, without an iota of fear, summed up the delegates’ expectations.
Dr Otiende told Dr Oburu that as the party leader of ODM, he could not double up as the lead negotiator in the ODM–President William Ruto United Democratic Alliance (UDA) pre-election coalition pact.
“Mokuongo amor. Chieng’ kacha an ema ne awacho ni structured negotiations. Sani, Daktari, ka itelonwa, joma obiro ka oyie ni nyaka wadhi e structured negotiations. To nyaka wadhiye.
Ka iwacho ni structured negotiations, ok ochuno ni ipingo. Matiende ni wa gin lemo moko. Wadwaro ni wan bende omedwa lemo.
Daktari, saa ma wadhi e structured negotiations, in kik ibed mbele. In ja telo. Thuonwa ok bed mbele. Wasigu nyalo nege.
Ibed ki ji ma Kisungu luongo ni the first right of acceptance and the first right of refusal.
Ka dhi maber to iwacho ni ayie. Ka dhi marach to iwacho ni adagi. Wan ema itiyo kodwa. Wan e foot soldiers. Kata onegwa onge rach tek ni thuonwa to pod ngima,” he said.
Dr Oburu recently announced that he would lead the ODM negotiations with President Ruto and that a team would soon be established to undertake the agenda.
“Now, as we approach 2027, we are not going to get into government through the back door. We are going to have a negotiated arrangement, which will be headed by me.
It will not be easy, but it will be a tough negotiation. We will get our share. 2026 is the year of negotiations for any arrangements.
Either we go into partnership with UDA or any other party.
We will soon establish a negotiation team and start negotiating with others because it is difficult for a party to go it alone without seeking the support of other parties.
The negotiations will start with our current partners in the broad-based arrangement. We shall only go to others if we do not agree,” he said.
Winnie Odinga, during the ODM 20th anniversary, had called for a new team to manage the broad-based arrangement, terming it delicate.
“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 wondering whether those who are taking it upon themselves to manage it now are capable of managing that relationship.
I do not think that is a question for me to answer. That is a question for the people of ODM to answer. That is why, party leader, I am requesting that we go back to the people and hold an NDC to see who the people want to pick to manage that same relationship,” she said.
Dr Oburu, speaking in Kisumu, said he would not betray the community by leading them into deep waters.
“An kaka jatelo maru ok anyal terou e nam. Ok anyal terou kama rach. Angeyo ni Raila ne owewa e broad-based ne owewa kod ten-point agenda.
Thuolo ma nyachae oMiya ka nyachae wan Kilifi ni mondo wach negotiations. Joma wachago godo goyo mbaka en UDA. Jomoko osechako dierowa ni wadhi matek. Wadhi matek nade. We have only said there is intention. Wabiro checko date kod dwe maber mar chako wuoyo,” he said.
Will Dr Oburu, currently enjoying the trappings of power, delegate the negotiations to his foot soldiers?
