Opposition chief Raila Odinga on Monday held talks with ODM leaders from the Kisii region to quell their disaffection after he allegedly snubbed the region on Cabinet slots.
Raila has come under immense pressure from Kisii and Nyamira leaders demanding a share of Cabinet positions and National Assembly minority leadership.
The ODM allied MPs sought a session with Raila to register their grievances after the region was allegedly sidelined in the recent nominations and appointments.
The meeting at a Nairobi Hotel came days after politicians from the region met to chart the way forward.
There has been growing disquiet among the ODM leaders from the Kisii and Nyamira counties over alleged bias, signalling dwindling fortunes for the party ahead of the 2027 polls.
The stormy meeting attended by Kisii Governor Simba Arati and ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire exposed the frustrations of the Orange party politicians.
Other leaders present were MPs Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South), Okong’o Omogeni (Nyamira Senator), Cleve Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba), Obadiah Barongo (Bomachoge Borabu), Patrick Osero (Borabu) and nominated MP Irere Mayaka.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku, elected on an ODM ticket, did not appear.
There are fears the disaffection could jolt Raila’s quest to consolidate the Gusii region through loyal foot soldiers as he eyes the African Union Commission chairperson job.
The politicians questioned why no ODM leader from the Gusii region was picked for a Cabinet position yet Luo Nyanza was handed two plum slots.
"It looks like ODM does not reward loyalty at all. If people like Bosire who have stood with the party for decades are not rewarded in any way, then who would be rewarded,'' said a politician who attended the meeting.
"The Kisii community is at a crossroads and will soon make its position known heading to the 2027 polls,” he added.
Raila is said to have explained that President William Ruto allegedly insisted on having at least two people from Luo Nyanza as part of his broad-based government.
However, the leaders said the Abagusii have given the ODM leader unwavering support and utmost loyalty for decades and it would only be fair if they received at least one CS slot from the ODM share.
“The region is one of your loyal support bases your Excellency. It would have made a lot of sense if we received even one CS position,’’ MP Kibagendi is said to have told Raila during the meeting.
The region missed out on recent Cabinet slots set aside for the ODM party as Raila moved to balance the distribution across his bases.
Osero exposed the frustrations among ODM leaders from the Gusii region declaring that "enough is enough".
“We voted for ODM overwhelmingly yet when seats were being distributed they were all given to Luo Nyanza," Osero said.
“They have pushed us a lot until we have decided to stand together and remain united as a community.”
Luo Nyanza, Raila’s heartland, secured two cabinet secretaries John Mbadi (National Treasury) and Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), locking Kisii and Nyamira counties out of the ODM share.
The other two CS slots set aside for ODM went to Hassan Joho (ex-Mombasa governor), Wycliffe Oparanya (ex-Kakamega governor) and Beatrice Askul from Turkana county.
In his share of the Cabinet, President Ruto picked Migosi Ogamba from Kisii County as the Education Cabinet secretary if approved by the National Assembly.
ODM leaders fear that the nomination of Ogamba would enhance the UDA fortunes in the region at the expense of Raila.
Besides, ODM leaders from the region are also upset that they were overlooked in appointments of the National Assembly leadership.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed from Migori County replaced Wandayi as the minority leader. Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo from Homa Bay County took over Junet’s minority whip position in changes announced by ODM following a Central Management Committee meeting on August 31.
Kibagendi had declared interest in succeeding Wandayi as National Assembly minority whip.
“I am an ODM elected legislator, I have been consistent in my defence of the party, I have courageously pushed the agenda of our Azimio coalition both in the House and out here in the public and I can offer the much-needed leadership as a minority leader,’’ Kibagendi wrote on his X account on July 26.
Kibagendi said his pick as minority leader would have ensured regional balance within the leadership of ODM and the Azimio coalition.
Arati is said to be eyeing the position of ODM deputy party leader in the expected changes within the party leadership.
However, there are fears that he might miss out, with his Mombasa counterpart Abdulswamad Nassir expected to be named one of the deputies on an interim basis alongside Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
Raila is said to have told the Gusii leaders that the party looked at a delicate regional balance matrix before arriving at the current party leadership and that changing the formula would shake the party.
Kisii and Nyamira counties are some of Raila’s loyal support bases that have stood by him for years despite aggressive onslaughts by rivals seeking to penetrate the region.
Senators and governors from both counties were elected on the ODM ticket alongside Kitutu Chache South, Nyaribari Masaba and Bomachoge Borabu constituencies.
In the 2022 presidential election, Kisii County which had 637,111 registered voters handed Raila 265,078 votes against President Ruto’s 135,326 754 of the 402,836 who voted.
Nyamira with 323,283 registered voters gave Raila 129,025 votes against Ruto’s 78,356 of the 208,651 valid voters.
Nyamira senator was elected on the ODM ticket just like the MPs from Kitutu Masaba and Borabu.