Photo/FILE Prime Minister Raila Odinga (right) and his deputy Musalia Mudavadi. The PM says those critical of Mr Mudavadi for challenging him in the presidential nomination have not yet appreciated the value of internal democracy in parties.
By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, March 17 2012 at 22:30
Posted Saturday, March 17 2012 at 22:30
IN SUMMARY
- PM asks aides to respect the deputy leader’s decision to challenge him for the top post
ODM leader Raila Odinga’s allies have opened negotiations with party deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi in an attempt to prevent the party from breaking apart.
Multiple sources in the Prime Minister’s camp confirmed that Mr Odinga was willing to consent to Mr Mudavadi’s wishes that party nominations be held at the county level and supervised by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The PM has sent emissaries to reach out to the rival camp.
Mr Odinga has also asked his close allies to desist from attacking Mr Mudavadi over his decision to contest the ODM presidential ticket, saying this was harming the party and his own political fortunes.
Challenge him
On Saturday, Mr Odinga said he had instructed ODM members to respect Mr Mudavadi’s decision to challenge him for the presidential nomination, saying it was in the best interest of the party.
“The PM does not believe there is a fundamental problem that needs to be dealt with in ODM. He has told party followers that it is in the interest of the party that he and Musalia be allowed to compete,” said the PM’s spokesman Dennis Onyango.
“He believes honestly that Musalia is right to run and that the DPM will stick with the party. So the PM’s recent strong remarks (on the International Criminal Court) were in no way meant to deflect attention from ODM issues.
In fact, he wants the ODM issues to remain in public discussion,” Mr Onyango said.
Mr Odinga is said to be concerned about the debate surrounding Mr Mudavadi’s challenge, especially from some of his closest allies, which had fuelled a growing feeling in the latter’s camp that there was a deliberate attempt to block the DPM from seeking the party’s ticket.
At a meeting with a section of MPs from Luo Nyanza last week, Mr Odinga censured Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang and Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo for their recent attacks on Mr Mudavadi.
A source who attended the meeting at the PM’s office recalled an exasperated Mr Odinga cautioning the duo not to comment on the Mudavadi issue henceforth.
“He told Jakoyo and Kajwang to leave Musalia alone because it was he (Odinga) that Musalia was challenging and not them.
He told them that their attacks on Musalia would not add them any votes in their respective constituencies,” said the source who did not want to be quoted discussing internal party affairs.
“He thinks many people have misunderstood Musalia. He thinks what Musalia is doing is the right thing to do and will strengthen the party.
He thinks those critical of Musalia have not yet appreciated the value of internal democracy in parties and that is why they are panicking,” he added.
Mr Mudavadi has repeatedly said that only a transparent, free and fair nomination process would save the party from disintegrating.
“We must avoid reckless handling of the processes or be ready for the consequences if the processes are mismanaged,” he has warned while responding to criticism from Mr Odinga’s allies.
Trusted allies
It is against this backdrop that the PM approached some of his trusted allies to reach out to the Mudavadi camp.
“Yes, there are talks on two fronts. The Prime Minister’s team, which has people like Orengo, is talking to Mudavadi’s people like Kizito (Mugali), Kibisu Kabatesi and (Fred) Gumo over the issue. The Prime Minister’s camp is also discussing the issue with a view to finding the best way to resolve the matter,” said one of Mr Odinga’s aides.
A member of the recently formed Prime Minister’s secretariat revealed that the negotiations were being spearheaded by Mr Gumo.
Use Luhya roots
“We are willing to bargain. There are ODM wazees who are handling the negotiations. Gumo is the main player in the negotiations by virtue of the fact that whereas he is a staunch Raila supporter, he can use his Luhya roots to reach out to Mudavadi and his people.
A member of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), while confirming that negotiations between Mr Odinga and Mr Mudavadi’s allies were ongoing, said: “Raila is willing to have elections to pick the party’s candidate held at the county level so that the party does not break up.”“The reasoning is that neither Raila nor Mudavadi can go it alone and win. We cannot come this close to the presidency and lose it because of matters we can resolve,” said the member who requested not to be named.
“Even Raila himself has no problem with delegates voting at the county level. It is only a few people around him who are opposed to it.
It is what the majority of ODM members want, that we take elections to the counties.
“Kenya Football Federation and the Law Society of Kenya have done it so well, even the electoral commission is nowadays counting and announcing results at the polling stations before transmitting them to Nairobi,” said Shinyalu MP Kizito Mugali, a Mudavadi ally.
Defence assistant minister Joseph Nkaissery, a member of the party’s NEC, maintained that only a free and fair nomination exercise would heal the rift in the party and called on both Mr Odinga’s and Mr Mudavadi’s handlers to exercise restraint.
“Everybody is free to seek the ODM presidential ticket. That is how we want to nurture democracy in our party. The spoilers are those who see Raila as a demigod who should not be challenged and those in the Mudavadi camp who also view him as a demigod. ODM does not belong to the Luo or Luhya alone, it belongs to all Kenyans,” he said.
“Musalia has reached a point of no return and only the ballot will decide his fate. Raila also feels he has fought too hard for the party to leave it to anyone. So the only way out is to go to the nominations. Musalia is a very sober and mature politician to want to wreck the party, and so is Raila,” he added.
“Musalia has reached a point of no return and only the ballot will decide his fate. Raila also feels he has fought too hard for the party to leave it to anyone. So the only way out is to go to the nominations. Musalia is a very sober and mature politician to want to wreck the party, and so is Raila,” he added.
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