A section of ODM members want party leader Raila Odinga to revoke the list of proposed top national officials, failure to which they might take undisclosed measures.
The leaders, led by Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda), Paul Otuoma (Funyula) and Simba Arati (Dagoretti North) want the party secretariat positions filled by professionals and not legislators.
The leaders said they felt shortchanged by the manner in which the seats were shared. Each missed out on the positions they contested for. They stressed that their displeasure is not driven by ill intentions or malice, but a genuine concern.
“In the past, we have got things wrong, a blunder that cost us the presidency. The problem we are facing is that the secretariat has personal interest in these posts and this started with the bungled nomination at the grassroots,” noted Gumbo.
“How do you explain that barely six months into its formation, The National Alliance was able to clinch the presidency beating ODM, which has existed for years?”Gumbo posed.
He recalled that Raila had mooted the idea of bringing on board professionals to manage the party and wondered how he decided to take the divisive route.
“How do you appoint half-hearted members to lead the party? These are individuals without the interests of the party at heart. They even vanish when we visit their constituencies to campaign for Okoa Kenya referendum,” said Gumbo. Gumbo regretted that he was sent on a party errand in Tanzania driving over 2,000km alongside Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) and they kept briefing the party leader on the progress, yet they were kept in the dark on the happenings in the party in Naivasha.
“If it is about loyalty, we were busy serving the party interests when leaders were being selected in our absence. We are asking the party leader to take our concerns seriously,” said the Rarieda legislator.
Kaluma and Christine Ombaka (Siaya County MP) concurred with Gumbo that it was wise not to choose MPs to serve as party officials because of their other national assembly interests.
“We are expected to discharge our legislative work as stipulated by the law, carry out our oversight role and at the same time, run party affairs. This is challenging,” said Kaluma.
Gumbo warned that ODM is spending most of its time bickering while their opponents are busy recruiting members in readiness for 2017 elections.
But political Affairs designate secretary Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) appealed to the aggrieved individuals to wait for the National Governing Council meeting on December 5 at Bomas of Kenya to raise their concerns.
He said: “We are only on an interim basis. We can never have 100 per cent perfection when it comes to party issues.”
Wandayi said the party is considering the issues raised internally for an amicable solution.
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