Saturday, November 6, 2010

ODM to shake up its top leaders


Hezron Njoroge | nation ODM secretary-general Anyang Nyong’o (left) and deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi address the media after the party’s Parliamentary Group retreat in Naivasha on Saturday.
Hezron Njoroge | nation ODM secretary-general Anyang Nyong’o (left) and deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi address the media after the party’s Parliamentary Group retreat in Naivasha on Saturday. 
By  LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, November 6 2010 at 21:00

A shake-up in ODM top brass is expected soon as the party begins to reinvent itself ahead of the 2012 General Election.

The party will conduct national elections starting next month and is expected to replace the Old Guard with younger leaders and more women.
The elections, whose date is to be fixed by the National Governing Council, will give the party a chance to align itself with the new Constitution that requires holders of public office such as Cabinet ministers to relinquish party positions.
Holding elections was part of the recommendations arrived at during the party’s two-day retreat in Naivasha presided over by Prime Minister Raila Odinga to find ways of rejuvenating the party and consolidating its support ahead of the 2012 elections.
When opening the Parliamentary Group cum National Executive Council meeting on Friday, Mr Odinga, who is the party leader, was categorical that the elections would usher in more youth and women.
“To deal with all these issues and align the party to the challenging political and demographic environment, it is inevitable that the party gets rejuvenated and revamped,” he said.
In the past ODM top officials at Orange House have been accused of poor performance and curtailing the party’s growth.
Mr Odinga has also been at loggerheads with a group allied to suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto, whose members have threatened to quit the party ahead of the 2012 elections.
All the MPs in Mr Ruto’s camp, except Lucas Chepkitony of Keiyo North, skipped the retreat at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha that was also used to plan how the party would ensure implementation of the new Constitution.
Trusted lieutenants
Mr Odinga’s trusted lieutenants from the Kalenjin community, including Magerer Langat, Henry Kosgey, Musa Sirma, Margaret Kamar, Joyce Laboso, Beatrice Kones and Julius Murgor were among the 71 MPs who attended the meeting and declared their support for Mr Odinga as party leader and his national role as Prime Minister.
Secretary-general Anyang Nyong’o downplayed the boycott by the Ruto group saying, “whenever meetings are held, there are those who attend and those who don’t”.
Mr Ruto left November 3 for The Hague where he met International Criminal Court officials.
ODM enjoys numerical strength in Parliament with 100 MPs, and Mr Odinga used the Naivasha meeting to try and consolidate his support and stanch rebellion in the party.
Among the resolutions read by Prof Nyong’o and deputy party leader Musalia Mudavadi were that the party embrace the new constitutional dispensation.
They said ODM is committed to the principles of sharing and devolution of power and resources, democracy, participation of the people, equity and equality, social justice, inclusiveness, patriotism, national unity and the rule of law.
The party further resolved to establish branches in all the 47 counties and turn constituencies into sub-branches.
“The party NEC/PG has approved the proposed restructuring of the party and organs to devolve its functions and services so as to make them more effective and responsive to the needs of the party members and the people of Kenya,” Mr Mudavadi said.
The party said it supports the fight against corruption but asked the agencies involved to “stay above board and guard against the politicisation, ethnicisation and witch-hunting”.
Despite divisions in the party that have threatened its stability, Mr Odinga said all was well, adding that there were no rebels. The PM said Mr Ruto was still an ODM member as he had not formally notified the party that he had quit.

Mr Odinga has differed with his deputy over evictions of Mau forest residents and the handling of the post-election violence suspects.

The Eldoret North MP’s relations with ODM worsened when he disregarded the party’s position and led campaigns against the new Constitution.
Mr Ruto has announced he would lead his supporters to another party on whose ticket he will vie for the presidency in 2012.
MPs at the retreat, which was also attended by 20 NEC members, differed on the action to be taken against Mr Ruto and his allies for going against the party’s wishes.
While Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang led a team that called for Mr Ruto’s removal from the party, Mr Odinga and Prof Nyong’o said he should be left alone. But sources said the party wants to use the elections to show Mr Ruto the door.
Mr Odinga said ODM was still strong in Mr Ruto’s Rift Valley stronghold and it was gaining a foothold in Central. He said the party would soon start to work independently to regain its popularity as it prepares for 2012 political contest.
The PM directed ODM MPs to work with those from PNU in implementation of the new Constitution just as they campaigned together for its passagein the August 4 referendum.
“Our big task as a party now is to take up the implementation agenda, for only implementation will ensure our people realise the benefits of the document,” Mr Odinga said.
Mr Kosgey, the ODM chairman, said the party’s performance in 2012 would be determined by delivery on its promises to the people.

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