Getting to root of the problem

By Biketi Kikechi

Lack of consultation at the party secretariat, poor management of party affairs in Parliament, and the rebellion by Rift Valley MPs are threatening the country's largest party ODM.

With the next General Election due in two years, the party top leadership led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga is reaching out to friends and foes to rebuild the party, which is still rated as the most influential.

It is now open talk in the party that for it to regain its sparkle, it would need to reclaim its following in the Rift Valley that drifted away after the Prime Minister’s falling out with Higher Education Minister William Ruto, also one of two party deputy leaders.

And in his visit to the South Rift on Friday, local leaders were candid. They told the Prime Minister that he would need to mend ties with his erstwhile political ally-turned political foe for the party to regain its fortunes.

Kipsigis professionals led by Joseph Rotich told the PM to reconcile with the Higher Education Minister for the sake of harmony and good working relations among elected leaders from the region.

“Bwana Prime Minister we are not at war with anybody. We want you to reason with Ruto and other elected leaders from the region,” Dr Rotich told the PM who sat pensively at the dais. They also told the PM the eviction of Mau Forest squatters has been a thorny one and asked him to push for their resettlement.

This was at a leaders’ consultative meeting at Tea Research Foundation in Kericho, where the PM met local leaders at a forum local MPs allied to Ruto boycotted.

At the meeting, Raila and Lands Minister James Orengo struck a reconciliatory note with the promise Mau evictees would be resettled.

Wooing back the Ruto-allied MPs will be one of Raila’s most difficult political feats due to the acrimonious falling out that has been characterised by hostile brinkmanship between their supporters.

Ruto allies have lately been saying their party should be investigated for its role in escalating post-election violence.

Members are raising concerns on the state of the party because despite being the largest parliamentary party, with about 100 MPs, it neither controls the House Business Committee nor the Constitution Oversight Implementation Committee (CIOC).

Raila is keen to chart a new course as he tries to hold the party together and deal with issues causing discontent in the party.

The PM is expected to meet ODM leaders across the country to listen to their grievances before effecting drastic changes in party leadership.

It was telling that he started off these meetings with the Rift Valley. He has in the last two weeks met MPs and leaders from Rift Valley, which contributed the largest number of votes for ODM in 2007 presidential election. He met a group led by Cabinet minister William ole Ntimama a week ago, before he headed for Kericho on Friday. Being the largest party, ODM should have ordinarily taken control of crucial committees in the House where its members could have driven the agenda.

Senior members like Tourism Minister Najib Balala are, however, not worried by the dwindling fortunes of the party after it surrendered the leadership of another key committee in Parliament to the Party of National Unity.

“There is no crisis in ODM since we supported the appointment of Mohammed Abdikadir (PNU) to chair the Constitution Implementation Committee because of his experience,” said Balala.

The minister’s response raises questions because ODM MPs this week engaged their PNU counterparts in verbal attacks demanding that Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba chairs CIOC.

It is, however, emerging that ODM woes go further than the infighting over committee positions.

“The problem begins in Parliament, where the party appears to be dictatorial when making decisions on who should represent it in committees,” said an MP, who works closely with Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The ODM Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo has been quoted many times demanding that only loyal MPs in Cabinet and committees should represent the party. Dissatisfied MPs from Rift Valley and North Eastern provinces have, however, blamed Midiwo as being confrontational.

Attempts to reach the Gem MP in Nairobi and Kisumu yesterday to respond to accusations that he is partly to blame for the discontent failed. Midiwo is also secretary of the ODM Parliamentary Group. A friend of the MP told The Standard On Sunday that the claims are not unfounded because the Whip has on occasions come up with lists of committee members without consulting other party leaders.

“He is sometimes combative and that could be forcing some MPs to keep off,” said the MP.

The Dujis MP Aden Dualle called for urgent measures to stop ODM from sinking.

“I’m happy the Prime Minister has realised the problem because it is not too late. But he should be talking to MPs like Charles Keter (Belgut), and Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu) instead of those who may not be influential.

Strong party

Dualle, who is the National Vice-Chairman, believes ODM is still “very a strong party” but it all depends on how it is managed.

The MP thinks success can only come when the party secretariat, the officials and the rank and file speak with one voice and the Prime Minister reaches out to party rebels.

“The problem is lack of consultation and poor decision making. A few leaders and officials have taken upon themselves to be the party,” said Dualle.

That is why the party cannot even marshal enough numbers to elect an MP from its ranks to chair a parliamentary committee. The fear is that the disgruntled MPs can gang up with the PNU MPs to embarrass the party.

That is the reality, which Dualle suggests ODM needs to address party unity when it stood behind Speaker Kenneth Marende is now a mirage.

A Raila confidant told The Standard On Sunday the Prime Minister has decided to reach out to PNU MPs who can support his political mission.

“The Rift Valley MPs have decided to oppose and work with PNU on any issue they imagine he supports. He has therefore decided to adapt to that by also working with some PNU MPs,” said the confidant.

MPs seen to be willing to defend Raila on issues of public interest include Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando and others he perceives as reformists.

Reached for comment, Namwamba said ODM decided to opt out of the fight for the CIOC chairmanship because they did not want to derail the implementation of the new Constitution.

—Additional reporting by Peter Mutai in Kericho County.