ODM opens office in Mandera, plans members recruitment

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party is keen on making inroads into Mandera County as it seeks to spread its political tentacles ahead of next General Elections.

This has been revealed after the ODM’s local leadership in the county opened an office in Mandera West in readiness for recruitment of members.

“Opening of the ODM office in Mandera is a sign that the local community is banking on this party for a better future and prosperity. We know who will form the next government and we have to be part of it,” said Mr Yussuf Maalim Hassan alias Nusu Kilo, the Mandera ODM chairman.

According to Mr Hassan, ODM will have a soft landing in Mandera “since it remains the only democratic political party in the country”.

National outlook

“Mandera needs a party that propagates democracy and ODM is the answer since it has a national outlook and membership is from across the country,” he said.

In the last general elections, ODM suffered heavily in the region under the Economic Freedom Party (EFP) that swept almost all the political positions except the gubernatorial and the Senate seats that were won by Jubilee Party.

Of the 30 elected MCAs in Mandera, only one is from ODM.

“EFP was a party that was formed by the defunct council of elders for their own selfish agenda. It lacked democracy and it is no longer alive politically,” said Mr Hassan.

He claimed that EFP, which failed to dethrone Governor Ali Roba, has no known structure and leadership.

“EFP was about a clan when the county is cosmopolitan. ODM is the right vessel for the people of Mandera to get what they want from national politics,” he remarked.

Negotiated democracy outdated

He said Mandera needs to be free from the outdated negotiated democracy which never gives equal opportunities to everyone.

Mr Hassan said that soon, the new office will be formally opened and membership recruitment launched by the party’s Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.

“At the moment, we are spreading our agenda to the rest of the sub-counties and the reception is overwhelming as we wait for the officials from the national level to come for the official launch,” he said.

Other ODM officials in Mandera are Mr Ahmed Emoy (secretary) and Mr Mohamed Ibrahim (treasurer).

“We are in a party that will give equal political opportunities to all unlike others that have always had predetermined candidates,” he said.

The opening of the ODM office comes soon after a low key meeting of the Mandera council of elders who were discussing the next elections.

“We have no relationship with the council of elders but this is about our representation at the national level,” said Mr Hassan while denying having secured the elders’ blessings politically.