Ababu Namwamba’s fast rise may cause unease in Western Kenya politics

The elevation of the youthful Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba to position of secretary general of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is likely to shape the political landscape in the larger western Kenya.

As Secretary General to a party that once commanded votes from almost all the 47 counties, his role is seen as a major test as it may set the barometers of politics within the larger CORD.

Most of his party members have welcomed his elevation to the new role. Others have not. Namwamba, who has set his mind to reclaim the glory of ODM in the whole country, is causing ripples not just in his Western Kenya backyard, but beyond the larger ODM family.

As Raila’s spokesman, it will be interesting to see how Luo Nyanza will react to his strategies and statements. However, it is how he handles the boiling politics within ODM’s bedrock, Nyanza and Western, that will determine how the party fares on in CORD that also has former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford-Kenya.

“Ababu’s choice for secretary general is a great honour to Western region,” said Andrew Toboso, Butere MP on ODM ticket.

“It is the first time ODM has had its secretary general from outside Nyanza. Significantly, Ababu hails from the largest support base for ODM after Nairobi,” he added.

Toboso wants discipline in the party instilled to avoid a repeat of “men in black” incident last year.
“Out of the four counties (Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, and Bungoma,) Kakamega has the largest support for ODM. The party made a wise decision to appoint Governor Wycliffe Oparanya as Deputy Party leader. And with Ababu from Busia as secretary general, ODM has a higher leverage in Western Kenya.”

He said ODM had lost its glory in the province after the exit of Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi. “At the time when Musalia was the Deputy Party leader to Raila, Western had the strongest support for the party. With both Ababu and Oparanya in the top party hierarchy, come 2017, we hope that support will have been galvanised.”

The line-up that was introduced last year has Raila as party leader, deputised by Ali Hassan Joho and Oparanya.

Suba MP John Mbadi is the ODM chairman, deputised by four members - Josephat Nanok, Paul Otuoma, Adan Keynan and Christine Lemein.
Namwamba’s deputies are senators Elizabeth Ongoro and Agnes Zani.

However, some MPs who are unhappy with Raila for supporting Namwamba insist he is a rebel, citing his closeness to Deputy President William Ruto.

“At no time was I ever opposed to Namwamba’s position as secretary general. I will work with him. What is important is for the party to move forward and not wrangle over which position belongs to which region,” Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, who is also CORD’s chief whip in the National Assembly, said.

But in Busia, Otuoma particularly felt slighted with the proposal to elevate Namwamba and single-handedly opposed it during the weekend retreat in Naivasha. “We should have gone for elections and not sit somewhere to appoint party leaders,” he said. “That is the only way to instill democracy in our party.”

Otuoma has since changed tune and is now pledging support for Namwamba. “Even though I was not happy that the party failed to carry out an election, we want to forget the past and soldier on,” Otuoma said when he hosted Namwamba in Bumbe Beach in Funyula in December last year. “I pledge to support my brother Ababu and any perceived differences between the two of us now belong in the past.”

In the former Western Province there is also a strong following from Ford-Kenya, which is headed by one of CORD principals Moses Wetang’ula. Members of this party have, however, not spoken out loudly over Namwamba’s elevation, but it is unlikely that Bungoma Senator Wetang’ula will be sitting pretty and watching Namwamba grow.

Ford-Kenya, the dominant party in Bungoma would have been contented with a dormant ODM in the region where Sirisia’s John Waluke is the only MP on an ODM ticket. The other eight constituencies in the county were shared equally between Ford-Kenya and Eugene Wamalwa’s New Ford-Kenya. “Ford-Kenya has taken some of the positions that clearly belonged to ODM. We want to see a revamped ODM in all counties, including Bungoma,” said Toboso.

New line-up

Namwamba pledged to reach out to all ODM members in the country, irrespective of their previous differences with the new line-up. He says despite investigations having not clearly shown who caused the February botched party nominations and Homa Bay fracas, he is determined to punish individuals who constantly cause chaos in the party. “Hooliganism is painting a bad image of our party. It is time we cracked the whip on individuals who cause mayhem,” he said.

He says some of the disciplinary actions to be taken will include identifying the trouble makers and allowing the law to take its cause, as what the goons do is criminal.

“We must identify those youths who heckle, disrupt and cause chaos. They should then be arrested and charged before courts of law. And if it means expelling them, that is what we should do,” said Namwamba, adding: “South Africa’s ANC had to make a very difficult decision, that of expelling its youth leader Julius Malema despite the consequences of even losing support from a section of the union. But President Jacob Zuma’s party had no other choice. We will do the same in our party ODM.”

He said he was a victim of the ODM nomination process that saw the elections bungled in February last year, saying it is one of his major challenges this year.

“The party failed to conduct party elections last year. Remember ‘Men in Black’? Homa Bay senatorial nominations proved hard for the party. Streamlining party nominations is one of the major plans for this year,” he said. With this mission to transform the party, Namwamba also maintains that Raila is the sole presidential candidate of the party in the next elections.

“We do not have any doubt as ODM party because Raila remains our presidential candidate in the next election,” he stated. “Should the two co-principals in CORD decide on him, we shall all support him.” Namwamba urges other leaders from the community not to bring down one another to survive in politics. “Let us not attack one another, allow our egos to clash each other but we should find a common ground to work together and rise together regardless of our political affiliations” he says.