Raila Odinga battles suspicions days to party elections

Kilifi MP Gideon Mung’aro (left), Wiper Party leaders Kalonzo Musyoka and  Francis Nyenze during the ODM consultative meeting at the Orange House, Nairobi, Tuesday. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

By JAMES MBAKA

Nairobi, Kenya: Ten days to Orange Democratic Movement’s elections party leader Raila Odinga faced anxious contestants to calm suspicions and guarantee a credible process and smooth transfer of power internally. 

The PM who is perceived to be banking on ODM’s reinvigoration to run again for president in August 2017, is reportedly laying the ground to ensure his movement not only holds together but also strengthens between now and then.

At the meeting on Tuesday at Orange House, Nairobi, Raila symbolically united two of the fiercest rivals for the Secretary General’s position as he stressed the importance of avoiding a falling out.

Aspirants sought reassurances the internal elections will be free and fair, against the backdrop of claims of his supposed preferred candidates and doubts about the impartiality of the National Elections Board that will oversee the polls.

Sources told The Standard that some aspirants raised reservations about the composition of NEB, majority were retained from the team accused of mismanaging party primaries in the last General Election. There were also questions whether the members could guarantee free, fair and credible elections.

Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, who is gunning for the Secretary General position currently held by Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, explained that they had raised their concerns and received assurances the elections would be free and fair. “We openly gave our views and were given clear assurances that the elections will be free and fair to a level that the outcome will reflect the will of delegates,” Namwamba said after the meeting.

The NEB led by Ms Judy Pareno gave a presentation of preparations that have been made for the polls and pledged to oversee a credible process. 

Favoured   

Earlier at the meeting, as a show of unity, Raila had held together the hands of Namwamba and Nominated Senator Agnes Zani, whom opponents have claimed is being favoured for the post of Secretary General.

Raila urged Zani and Namwamba to face each other at the ballot and accept the verdict of the delegates.

He assured the congregation there would be no rigging in next week’s party polls that he declared are crucial in helping them to ascend to power in the next General Election.

The former Prime Minister warned those who will be elected of the herculean task awaiting them; that of spearheading the party’s ultimate goal to take political power and form the next government.

“I am here because all of you are good, but we need to pick the best through a competitive process, that must not grind our vehicle to a rude halt. We must emerge stronger and more united,” Raila urged his party members.

He assured the aspirants he had no preferred candidates, saying all aspirants had equal opportunity to compete for leadership positions.

“This is a healthy competition, a practise match for the real game that will be against the opponent (Jubilee). We are just learning how we can give passes, head the ball before setting a cross for the striker to score,” Raila told the aspirants at the meeting.

Raila warned aspirants against fueling the ‘malicious’ debate that there is a pre-determined list of leaders to take over the leadership of ODM.

“The media does not come up with their own things, some of you fan this dirty debate that I have preference for some aspirants. Let us go into this election as a family and emerge stronger,” Raila implored the members.

The party leader was meeting all the aspirants for the first time since the elections board set February 28 and March 1 as the date when some 2,854 delegates will converge in Nairobi to install a new leadership.

The party has been haunted by claims that some members were elbowed out of the race to make way for preferred candidates. This is after a section of MPs from Nyanza withdrew their candidature especially for the hotly contested Secretary General post.

Zani has been put on the defensive over claims of being among the selected candidates set to take over leadership of the country’s single largest political entity.

On Tuesday, the NEB was also hard-pressed to outline mechanisms put in place to deliver a credible poll that can see the party emerge stronger after the grueling elections.

The board had an opportunity to brief the aspirants on preparations for the NDC, saying all was set for the big day. 

“We as a board are finalising the verification of the delegates register at the various branches across the country and by Saturday it will be ready for compilation and available to all aspirants,” Pareno assured.

The board announced there are 82 aspirants for various positions, but noted that only one application had been received for the position of Secretary for Legal and Constitutional Affairs while no interest had been shown for Secretary for Labour and Human Resource after the sole applicant was disqualified.

Yielded to pressure

 “Only accredited delegates will be allowed to enter the venue. Each aspirant will have one agent picked from among the delegates to deliver an election that will shame and show IEBC how elections should be managed,” Nyong’o said in a statement read after the four-hour meeting.

Earlier, CORD yielded to pressure from Coast Members of Parliament by retaining current leadership of the Opposition side in the National Assembly.

After a lengthy and stormy meeting attended by 94 MPs yesterday, the Coast MPs thwarted an attempt to strip Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro of his seat as the Minority Chief Whip.