Why Mudavadi may no longer be at ease in ODM

By ALLAN KISIA and VITALIS KIMUTAI

Going by the latest developments, the storm in Orange Democratic Movement Party, stirred by intense rivalry between Prime minister Raila Odinga and his deputy Musalia Mudavadi, may not calm down soon.

What could aggravate the situation this week is the plan by ODM officials present the party’s application forms for registration to the Registrar of Political Parties tomorrow despite demands by Mudavadi and his team that this process be delayed until nomination rules are changed.

From left: ODM Secretary General Anyang’ Nyong’o, Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Prime Minister Raila Odinga during the ODM National Executive Council meeting last week. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Mudavadi who is Raila’s deputy both in the Grand Coalition Cabinet and the party expected ODM would first remove the clause guaranteeing the Party Leader automatic nomination for presidential race before the instrument is deposited with the Registrar.

What will even be more unsettling for the Mudavadi team is the fact that the decision to go to the Registrar was taken despite failure by the party’s legal team chaired by lawyer Mugambi Imanyara to meet over Easter weekend as had been directed by the National Executive Council (NEC) chaired by Raila last Wednesday.

Worse still for Mudavadi is the fear that because of disagreements over the current constitution and claims of bad timelines, the officials would lodge the old constitution with the Registrar.

But nonetheless, on Sunday ODM Secretary General Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o circulated phone messages asking party officials to accompany him and the chairman Mr Henry Kosgey to present registration papers tomorrow. "We shall depart from Orange House to the Registrar’s office at 11am," said the message sent on his behalf by ODM Executive Director Ms Janet Ong’era.

Nyong’o had used his column in the Standard on Sunday to invite media houses to the event.

Mudavadi has repeatedly demanded that nomination rules in ODM constitution be changed to guarantee a free and fair presidential nomination contest.

The party has said it does not have time to convene a National Delegates Conference, like was the case in 2007, to effect the changes demanded by Mudavadi and his allies.

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