There is growing disquiet among ODM leaders from Kisii and Nyamira counties over alleged bias by the party's top leadership.
The disaffection could jolt opposition leader Raila Odinga’s quest to consolidate his backyards even as he eyes the African Union Commission chairperson job.
The brewing discontent forced nearly all the elected ODM leaders from the region to hold private talks last week to review the developments and take a position on claims of being marginalised by the party.
The August 1 meeting at a Nairobi Hotel came on the backdrop of recent party decisions that appeared to leave out leaders from both Kisii and Nyamira Counties.
The meeting, which was attended by among others Kisii Governor Simba Arati and ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire, sought to review the developments and chart the way forward.
Others who attended the meeting included MPs Anthony Kibagendi(Kitutu Chache South), Okong’o Omogeni(Nyamira Senator), Cleve Gisairo(Kitutu Masaba), Obadiah Barongo(Bomachoge Borabu), Patrick Osero(Borabu) and nominate MP Irere Mayaka.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku, who were all elected on ODM tickets, did not attend the talks.
The region was left out by recent Cabinet slots that were dished out by President William Ruto to 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 on Friday.
“They have pushed us a lot until we have now decided that as a community we must stand together and remain united.”
Luo Nyanza, Raila’s heartland secured three two CS slots including John Mbadi(National Treasury) and Opiyo Wandayi(Ugunja), leaving Kisii and Nyamira counties out of the ODM share.
The other two CS slots 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.
Besides the Cabinet positions, ODM leaders from the Gusii region are also upset that top leadership positions in the National Assembly occasioned by the CS nominations further isolated them.
Following Wandayi’s elevation to the CS position, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed from Migori County was named as his successor to the plum position.
Suba North MP from Homa Bay County will now take over Junet’s minority whip position in the National Assembly in changes that were announced by ODM following a Central Management Committee meeting on August 31.
After Wandayi was nominated as CS for Energy and Petroleum, Kibagendi declared his interest in succeeding the Ugunja lawmaker 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.
In his post, Kibagendi said his pick as minority leader would ensure that regional balance is adhered to 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.
ODM officials from Nairobi county have thrown their weight behind Arati for the seat as the party navigates a delicate transition.
In a statement to newsrooms, Nairobi ODM chairman George Aladwa said Arati should be considered when filling the two vacancies.
The two slots were left vacant following the nomination of Joho and Oparanya to CS positions in the broad-based government by President Ruto.
"Arati has been steadfast in the party and has contributed immensely to its growth both in Nairobi where he served as an MP and presently in Kisii county."
Before he was elected as the second Kisii county boss, Arati served as MP for Dagoretti North for two terms.
"He is a good listener and works closely with the youth and his elevation to this position to engage them and mobilise them into working with our party," Aladwa said.
Both Kisii and Nyamira counties are some of Raila’s loyal support bases that have stood by him for years despite aggressive onslaughts by the ODM boss rivals to penetrate the region.
Both the Senator and the governor were elected on the ODM ticket alongside Kitutu Chache South, Nyaribari Masaba through Daniel Manduku and Bomachoge Borabu.
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.