Kenya: Today could be an important landmark for Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement in the journey to the 2017 elections given that its highest decision-making organ is to ratify or reject the proposed new leadership drawn from the party’s two camps.

The new team Raila will be seeking to have installed is to champion the task of repositioning the party, recently rocked by internal wrangles on the road to 2017.

Plagued by persistent wrangling since February when party elections ended in chaos, ODM resorted to a boardroom deal to accommodate key figures from rival camps in an expanded leadership structure that will be considered by the National Governing Council (NGC) today.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Transitional Independent Executive Committee (TIEC), an interim organ formed after the bungled polls that drew representatives from the warring camps, last month proposed 27 party national officials. However, the national office bearers angered some party members, including Raila's close allies, who claimed the camp perceived to be packed with 'Jubilee moles' had secured powerful positions.

Today, the NGC is to either endorse or reject the proposed list of party officials, and interviews by The Standard yesterday indicated members still held divergent views.

The list proposes Raila remains party leader with governors Hassan Ali Joho (Mombasa) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) as his two deputies.

Suba MP John Mbadi is designated as national chairman and Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba was named as secretary general.

Namwamba fiercely fought for the position with nominated Senator Agnes Zani who was associated with a rival camp said to be favoured by Raila. In the proposed new lineup, Zani and nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro have been named deputies to the secretary general.

In the lead-up to the bungled polls, Namwamba's camp had Joho and Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok, who is designated as one of the two deputy national chairmen.

The other deputy national chairman is Funyula MP Paul Otuoma, who is among those who have rejected the list and demanded competitive elections.

The NGC is made up of 47 county chairpersons, Council of ODM Governors, senators and members of the National Assembly. It is also made up of NEC (national officials), 20 national representatives of the Youth League and 20 national officials representing the Women League. Members of County Assemblies are not part of this team unless they are officials in the two leagues.

On Thursday, Otuoma called on the National Delegates Conference (NDC) to exercise its duty wisely and save the party from collapse. "The delegates should not be used to rubber-stamp a preconceived list of leaders. What happened in Naivasha is wrong because we can't solve our party problems by having a few people lock themselves up in a hotel room and draw a list of leaders," Otuoma said.

He called on the delegates to address the fundamental issues raised by party members and use the occasion to come up with a lasting solution and take the party forward.

"We raised fundamental issues during our campaigns in the build-up to the aborted Kasarani elections. Those issues have not been addressed and we should not be in a hurry just to fill the positions," he said.

The Funyula MP observed that the party needed to be strengthened to avoid alienating some members. "It will be unfortunate if we just endorse the list without listening to dissenting voices. This will create factions in our party and this does not augur well for the future," he added.

Moles alleged

He argued that endorsing the new leaders would be a violation of the party's constitution.

"The third and fourth deputy party leadership roles do not exist in our constitution. We need as members to amend the constitution before creating such slots," Otuoma suggested.

Other ODM members opposed to the new party leadership include Siaya Senator James Orengo and Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda MP), as well as Junet Mohammed (Suna East).

Gumbo explained he expects the NDC to listen to all members' views before making a decision. "I am opposed to the list but I feel that the voices of minority should be listened to. If they don't listen, they have our views and the majority will have won," Gumbo said.

But Joho was optimistic that the NDC would be successful. "I earned the position I have for being a staunch supporter of our party. It is democratic to have divergent views but that doesn't make us enemies. I know we will pull together for the sake of the party," Joho said.

Nominated Senator Janet Ongera said she expects the NDC to endorse the officials on an interim basis. "The consitution requires that we hold party elections. The interim officials should help move the party forward but we should hold elections to have a permanent solution," she said.

Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga called on those opposed to the new leadership to join forces as the party realigns itself. "The party may lose focus if leadership wrangles continue instead of concentrating strategies on 2017. Those opposed to the new party leaders' list are the  moles," Anyanga charged.

Anyanga said the MPs from Nyanza who are having dissenting views on the new officials should raise them within the party and avoid utterances that would tarnish to party's image. "All the people who were appointed by the party leader to take office are people with great leadership abilities," he said.

Nominated MP Oburu Odinga, Ugenya MP Opiyo Wandayi and his Ugunja counterpart David Ochieng' all supported the new office bearers.

"Although I was opposed to the list, I think this is the best for now and we should rally behind them because it is difficult to accommodate everyone," Dr Oburu said.

He added: "I am with those who are uncomfortable but call on all of us to swallow our pride so that we move forward. If we let ODM, the biggest and most loved party in the country collapse, we will be judged harshly."

Wandayi echoed Oburu's sentiments: "The party is bigger than all of us. I am hopeful that we will conclude the event amicably and be able to recover lost ground."

Ochieng' said he supports Namwamba fully as the new secretary general.