Raila’s options as Mudavadi exits

By ANDERSON OJWANG and KEPHER OTIENO

With Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi confirming he is in ODM only onpaper, the party is moving to replace him but only after amending its constitution.

Among the clauses earmarked for possible amendment is the contentious clause that makes the party leader, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the automatic presidential candidate. Mudavadi and his allies pushed to have the clause removed before the party moved for registration but failed.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) with chairman Sharrif Nassir Foundation Abdulswamad Nassir (2nd right) and Tourism minister Dan Mwazo (right) at the wedding of former Kenya Human Rights Commission commissioner Hassan Omar at Mombasa Sports Club on Sunday. [PHOTO: OMONDI ONYANGO/STANDARD]

The Sabatia MP and his aides confirmed on Saturday that he was done with ODM and would soon announce his new party.

Raila stalwarts led by Mbita MP Otieno Kajwang, a close ally of the PM, on Sunday played down the impact of Mudavadi’s decision to ditch ODM, and insisted the party’s priority is to amend sections of its constitution to forestall further divisions.

But those in ODM pushing for Mudavadi’s speedy replacement told The Standard last evening that with Raila now virtually assured of being the Orange party’s presidential candidate in the coming elections, the focus has now shifted to getting him a suitable running mate.

Although the group says Raila should expand his scope and get a running mate from other parts of the country and not necessarily western Kenya, House Speaker Kenneth Marende’s name has been floated as a compromise running mate.

Running mate

Those in favour of Marende say he would reduce the damage done to ODM and Raila in western Kenya by Mudavadi’s exit. "There is a group which wants Speaker Kenneth Marende to work with the Prime Minister so that he can later join him as his running mate," said one source.

They emphasised that Marende’s name was among others floated, each with their merits and disadvantages. Efforts by The Standard on Sunday to get a reaction from Marende to the claims were futile as his mobile phone went unanswered.

Other names floated include Agriculture minister Dr Sally Kosgei and Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey in Rift Valley, and Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim in North Eastern. The names of Health Minister Charity Ngilu and Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imnayara both from the Lower Eastern region have also been considered.

In Central Province, ODM is considering reaching out to Narc Kenya Presidential contender Martha Karua to field what they hope will be a reformist ticket against those who want to maintain the status quo.

"The Prime Minister wants a team that has no baggage and people with a clean track record in the fight for reforms in the country," said an aide to the PM.

Raila has gone back to the team once dubbed the "young Turks" during the fight for multiparty democracy in the eighties and nineties, which grouped around the reform lobby Ford in 1992 (later Ford-Kenya) and campaigned for his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in Kenya’s first multi party elections.

Among them are Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara, former Kabete MP Paul Muite and former Anglican Church of Kenya Arch Bishop Dr David Gitari.

Some in the party see this as an attractive olive branch to dangle before Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua to convince her to join the boat, although the Gichugu MP has in the past been emphatic that she will not be anybody’s running mate.

Raila also recently unveiled his Secretariat to headed by former Permanent Secretary James Ongwae and Publisher Barrack Muluka to lead the media team.

Muluka says non-reformists in ODM have fled and allowed reformists to take centre stage, and that Raila himself is a brand.

"Raila is a reformist and a nationalist and that is the only brand we know in him. I think what is happening is that as non-reformists are leaving, reformists re being seen a lot more clearly. But Muluka added that in the fullness of time, a natural running mate would emerge.

"Raila has been able to explain his political agenda to the areas that were perceived to be hostile politically and he has gained steadily. We have massive support in Meru and various parts of Central Province and other parts of the country,’ he says.

Campaign machine

Political analyst Prof Larry Gumbe says Raila had to dissolve the Pentagon because it had outlived its usefulness after the ill-fated 2007elections.

"There is no structure in ODM that caters for Pentagon. It was Raila private campaign machine, and after the elections there was need to dissolve it as it did not have any function," he says. Gumbe says Raila’s campaign secretariat of 2007 that was headed by Mr Mohammed Isahakia, now Permanent Secretary in his office, was immediately disbanded, and he recently launched a new one that he expects to move with to a new government.

"Raila is already consolidating his campaign machines and is ready to fight it out with his opponents. His campaigns tools are ready for the match," he argues.

Coherent party policies

On Sunday, Kajwang, insisted the party was not in a hurry to anoint a running mate for Raila before the Presidential nominations.

"Right now our major focus is to nominate the Presidential candidate and not a running mate. It is until after we conclude the nominations that we will think of a running mate,’ said the Minister.

Speaking to The Standard on phone, he insisted that ODM is primarily pre-occupied with amending its Constitution to allow free and fair play for all interested in seeking leadership positions through its ticket.

‘’We are very busy now with amendment of the party rules, especially areas are of conflict to ensure cohesive and coherent party policies,’ said Kajwang.

"Marende has clear roles vested in the Constitution, and I don’t think anointing him a running mate would be ideal for the party while is he still serving. That is a mirage,’’ said Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch.

He advised Kenyans to allow Mudavadi carry on with his "bold decision" to walk out of ODM saying it was his democratic right.

On Sunday, Muluka dismissed reports that Raila met the Speaker to discuss the option of having him as a running mate.

"There is a lot of anxiety from outsiders to destablise ODM from within, as is evident in their latest moves to ensure that ODM remain scattered,’’ he claimed. He cited spirited moves by several MPs from western Kenya to convince Mudavadi to quit ODM and pursue the presidency in another party.

Enough politicians

On Sunday, Assistant Minister Margarer Langat said ODM was reaching out to political adversaries in the Rift Valley and a reunion was possible.

He asked Rift Valley politicians fighting the party to reconsider their position.

Meanwhile pro-Raila MPs in Western Province are demanding to be given the Local Government ministry currently held by Mudavadi. Mumias MP Ben Washiali said western has enough politicians who can replace Mudavadi.

The Mumias MP, however, did not want to comment on reports that Marende would be Minister Raila’s running mate. "Since they are just reports, I cannot comment, but for ministerial positions, we are ready to do the job," he explained.