Boardroom or ballot? ODM in a nominations dilemma

Cracks have emerged in Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga’s Siaya backyard following a controversial decision to pick aspirants for various seats through boardroom deals rather than the ballot ahead of the August 9 polls.

Mr Odinga wants ODM to issue direct tickets rather than pick candidates through competitive party primaries ostensibly to avoid disputes and enforce regional balancing.

He, however, is facing stiff resistance from a section of local leaders. On Christmas Eve, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, while hosting ODM delegates from his constituency, pledged to give his stand on the issue in due course. Although the meeting, held at his Sijimbo village home in Sidindi Ward, was touted as an Azimio la Umoja event, it roiled in undertones of tense county politics.

Mr Odinga, who graced the occasion, said he has no preferred candidates, but “nothing stops me from praising those who have worked hard.” He then held Mr Wandayi’s hand aloft.

ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen hinted at a deal having already been struck on who would run for which seat in Siaya County.

Gubernatorial race

“As a party, we are proud of Siaya [County] because you have already made steps [to pick candidates through consensus], which the party is advocating for,” Mr Ong’wen said in an apparent reference to the withdrawal of Mr Wandayi from the gubernatorial race.

It appears ODM is now keen on nominating Senator James Orengo for the gubernatorial seat while East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) lawmaker, Dr Oburu Oginga, will replace Mr Orengo at the Senate.

Former Rarieda MP, Mr Nicholas Gumbo, and former police spokesperson, Mr Charles Owino, are also eyeing the governor’s seat while Mr Tony Yogo wants to run for senator.

On Christmas Day at St Peter’s Nyamira Anglican Church of Kenya in Bondo, Mr Odinga appeared to endorse his elder brother Dr Oginga for the Senate seat, citing his brother’s vast experience as a legislator.

“[Dr Oginga] should not be begging you to vote for him. It is embarrassing. He has been an MP for many years,” Mr Odinga said. At Mr Wandayi’s residence, the leaders held a night-long meeting after Mr Odinga had left, and reportedly made a deal on the sharing of the posts.

The meeting was attended by Mr Orengo, Dr Oginga, Mr Wandayi, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, former Siaya gubernatorial candidate William Oduol, a Dr Kevin Osuri, among other leaders. Mr Oduol and Dr Osuri are both angling to be Mr Orengo’s running mate in the gubernatorial race.

Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi and his Bondo counterpart Gideon Ochanda, however, excused themselves and left, while Governor Cornel Rasanga and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo did not show up. Dr Oginga has dismissed talk of a “line-up” of preferred candidates and maintained that he was not seeking for an endorsement.

“I am not in any line-up. Let everyone looking for votes just ask voters to support them as individuals,”he said.

However, Nation has established that some of the resolutions made during the meeting was to have Mr Orengo, who is from Ugenya,fly the ODM flag in the gubernatorial contest while Dr Oginga, who is from Bondo, should get the party’s ticket in the senatorial race.

There was also a suggestion to reserve the deputy governor slot for Alego Usonga constituency where Governor Rasanga hails from while the woman rep position and assembly Speaker would either go to Gem or Rarieda. County Woman Rep Christine Ombaka is from Gem, Assembly Speaker George Okode is from Rarieda, while Deputy Governor James Okumbe is from Bondo.

According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Alego Usonga has the largest number of registered voters at 103,334. Bondo follows with 90,278, Gem (80,472), Rarieda (75,779), Ugenya (57,603) and Ugunja 50,487 voters.

100,000 votes

Already, a row is brewing in Alego Usonga, where the MP, Mr Atandi, has been accused of undermining local leaders, including Governor Rasanga, by “purporting to negotiate for the deputy governor seat on behalf of the constituency without consulting other leaders.”

Former Siaya deputy mayor Maurice Korondo, who now leads Alego Usonga Unity Caucus, yesterday said his organisation has resolved to push to have a governor hailing from the constituency.

“Let nobody think that, with our more than 100,000 votes, Alego will simply go for deputy governor. We are in the race and we have thrown our weight behind lawyer George Mugoye, who hails from this constituency,” Mr Korondo told Nation.

Mr Oduol, Dr Osuri, Dr Nicholas Kut, former MP Omondi Mulun and Governor Rasanga were eyeing the Alego Usonga parliamentary seat but Mr Oduol and Dr Osuri are now seeking to be Mr Orengo’s running mate, while Mr Rasanga is said to have heeded calls to back Dr Kut. This could complicate matters for Mr Atandi in Alego Usonga.

Alego Usonga ODM Organising Secretary Paul Jura yesterday said the constituency does not need a deputy governor slot.

“We are not interested in such a position. Nobody can claim to reserve it for us because it’s the prerogative of the gubernatorial candidate and the party to decide on who holds the post,” Mr Jura told Nation yesterday.

Reached for comment yesterday, Mr Atandi was non-committal on claims that he was ignoring local leaders and negotiating for positions on behalf of the constituency alone.

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