By Abdikadir Sugow
Kenya: Rocked by the stunning election loss to the Jubilee Coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is mooting a major structural overhaul to reinvent and strengthen its alliance within the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD).
Sources have disclosed that CORD’s electoral subjugation and subsequent Supreme Court decision confirming President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory has shocked the party to its roots.
Its reputation as the most popular party dented, ODM members are demanding that its leader former Prime Minister Raila Odinga administers radical surgery in the top organs and structures to salvage the situation.
Most party MPs and key party supporters are demanding an overhaul, saying only Raila should be spared to steer the Orange Party on a new course and embrace a more purposeful, democratic leadership.
Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi is spearheading calls for party leadership to be reconstituted from the grassroots to the top. Aburi survived the TNA, Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) wave to clinch one of the two seats for ODM in Meru.
“Gone are the days when one person or a misguided clique used to call the shots. Kenyans do not want dictatorship any more. All senior positions in the party should be advertised to attract competitive individuals to avoid the culture of rewarding loyalty instead of cultivating democracy,” Aburi urges.
Opinion shapers argue ODM, which has been closely associated and indeed was a product of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, should shun active politicians from its Secretariat and urgently hold free and fair elections from the grassroots to the national office.
While Jubilee literally staged a “life and death” effort in the campaigns, ODM appeared lethargic and disorganised in its political tactics.
In the campaigns, many lobby groups were not properly coordinated by the central command, and seemed short of resources. The Secretariat was over-delegated as operation centres, literally remaining a closed shop missing the right chemistry with the electorate, while shutting out crucial input from its professional support base.
Party youth group
Party sources disclosed that vibrant party youth group like Orange Network (ONET) under the leadership of Kennedy Butiko together with Ali Dida were not spared.
The sources clearly stated two had all good intention to drive the main agenda of the party, but they were openly blocked by self-centered individuals at the secretariat.
The campaign leaders were also accused of been over-confident and excessively optimistic without actualising this optimism into a potent factor to win the elections - it was like the proverbial case of counting the chicken before the eggs hatch.
What broke the camel’s back was the fiasco generated by a shambolic nomination that saw the party fail to fulfil the promise of holding a free, fair and transparent exercise after inexplicably shaking up the elections board.The much-awaited party primaries were called off three times and its chairman, Dr (rtd Colonel) Henry Muthee Kathurima replaced by former Roads minister Franklin Bett on Christmas Eve.
The move was widely attributed to Raila’s close political advisers including Senators James Orengo and Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o (party secretary-general), Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and Executive Director now Senator Janet Ongera. Prof Nyong’o and Ongera over-stepped the appointing authority (Raila) to replace Kathurima, sparking disaffection. The decision to bring in Bett was not popular with several outgoing MPs.
Party strategists are convinced that only a total overhaul can redeem the party remain a force that can win a future election by only be effectively managed by ‘digital’ professionals and experts that the party has in abundance and not the ‘old school’ politicians.
