The Raila Odinga succession battle has taken another twist after a section of politicians from his Nyanza backyard warned against narrowing the contest into a two-horse race.
The latest opposition lifts the lid on the growing tensions as camps emerge in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) over Raila’s succession race.
Raila triggered more confusion last week when he endorsed his two deputies Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya to succeed him should he win the African Union Commission chairperson job.
“In the unlikely event that I am not elected, I will just be back to continue serving you, but should I win, Joho and Oparanya are here and able to steer this party to success,’’ Raila said in Wajir on Thursday.
Some politicians from his Luo Nyanza turf want his succession race to be wide open to all interested candidates and not limited to just Joho and Oparanya, arguing that the region must get its fair share in leadership as the party’s political bedrock.
Raila’s sister and Ksumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga claimed that since Nyanza forms the bulk of ODMs support, it should not be denied an opportunity to participate in the election of its leader should the position fall vacant.
“ODM is a national party with diverse communities that we cannot limit its succession, if any, to two individuals. We have many loyal and consistent members with the capability and expertise to lead this party,’’ she said.
“We have the Orange Women democrats and we also feel liming this contest to two male individuals is being insensitive to the female gender.’’
The MP added that any aspirants forming camps without women would be in for a rude shock.
Rarienda MP Otiende Amollo said there is no way the Raila succession matrix can be discussed without the involvement of the Luo Community.
“We have told him(Raila) that politically as a community, we also have able leaders to take up the mantle,’’ he told mourners at a funeral in Siaya over the weekend.
However, Muhoroni MP Onyango K’Oyoo argued that leadership in ODM is not achieved through elevation or election.
“The leadership emerges. Raila was never elected but rather erupted or emerged,’’ he said.
Awendo MP Walter Owino argued that should Raila relinquish the position, then it should be open for any member to contest.
“We should never embrace handpicking of leaders in boardrooms because ODM is a national party….if Raila exits, bearing in mind that Nyanza forms the majority of the membership of this party, the region must also be accorded equal opportunity to produce a candidate in the contest,’’ he said.
This is even as National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi insisted that Raila should be the undisputed OM party leader whether he wins the AUC position or not.
“But in the event, for whatever reason, the Rt Hon Raila Amolo Odinga chooses to step aside from the leadership of ODM upon clinching the AUC chairmanship, then the field shall be open,’’ Wandayi said at his Nairobi office on Monday.
“I want to debunk very strongly this notion, this false narrative of something akin to what we call duopoly in marketing that if by any chance a vacancy arises in the leadership of ODM then it will be for two persons to compete, nothing could be further from the truth.”
The Ugunja MP said that everybody would be free to seek to lead ODM including himself.
“I may present my name for that position. As you all know, I have studied Baba for a very long time since when I was 20 years old and now I am 50 years old. This is a long time so nothing stops me from presenting my name for such a position if it were to fall vacant, an eventuality that I don’t foresee now and in the near future,’’ Wandayi said.
“If I were to offer myself, I would be doing it in extremely good faith to protect the movement from possible capture by reactionary forces and to ensure that the movement lives up to its expectations and those of the people.''
The ODM party is planning to hold its countrywide elections next month amid fears that the factional wars could spill over to the polls.