ODM party has embarked on a mission to rejuvenate its support bases amidst an onslaught by the ruling UDA party.
The new revamp plan is spearheaded by youthful leaders in former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s political camp.
The Star has established that the new strategy is not only to ensure new members join the party but also to ringfence the traditional bases of the opposition party from infiltration by President William Ruto’s UDA.
Since the 2022 elections, UDA has sustained a full-throttle campaign to market the party, especially in Raila’s strategic turf, including Nyanza and Coast regions, to shore up its fortunes.
Last week, the ruling outfit held one of arguably the most successful and peaceful grassroots elections at ODM’s Homa Bay heartland.
This is the first time in many decades a rival political party has managed to stage competitive elections in Raila's backyard.
To undo the gains, the ODM brigade on Friday – one week after the polls – camped in Kasipul, Homa Bay for a major political rally dubbed members registration drive.
The onslaught was led Party’s deputy leader Hassan Joho and attended by amongst others national chairman John Mbadi and area governor Gladys Wanga.
Area MP Ong’ondo Were termed the meeting a registration drive to soar the party’s numbers ahead of the postponed grassroots elections.
Were said that all ODM elected leaders were invited to the rally that was scheduled after consultation with the national leadership.
“I want to thank our party leader for granting us permission to hold the Homa Bay ODM delegates convention in Kasipul,” Ong’ondo said.
“The meeting will bring together delegates from all the eight branches, we shall also open the ODM branch office in Oyugis Town.”
Speaking to the Star, the ODM national chairman said the Homa Bay and by extension Western region is an ODM zone downplaying the perceived UDA penetration into the area.
“Homa Bay is purely ODM, UDA is not a threat to us. Even their purported grassroots elections were a joke. The turnout tells it all, no single polling station had 10 members on the line,” Mbadi said.
As Joho was leading the registration drive in Homa Bay, Raila was on the other hand traversing Nairobi visiting victims of the ongoing floods.
Raila visited Mathare, Ruaraka, Embakasi West and Embakasi East constituencies where he distributed food and non-food items.
