ODM wrangles: Linda Mwananchi faction vows to hold parallel meeting

The ODM Party wrangles are expected to escalate further with both the Linda Ground faction allied to Party Leader Oburu Odinga and Linda Mwananchi faction allied to embattled ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna set to hold parallel National Delegates Conference meetings.

ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga wondered why the Linda Mwananchi faction was skipping Friday’s National Delegates Convention, which they had demanded. The convention will be held at Jamhuri showground. Sifuna's team has organised a parallel event at Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi.

Wanga said it was disturbing that the faction led by Senator Sifuna demanded the holding of the key meeting only to turn around and instead announce a parallel meeting after the official one had been announced.

“It is in the public domain the faction allied to Senator Sifuna has been demanding for a National Delegates Conference. When members of the National Executive Council met they agreed to their demands. Now they are shifting goal posts,” said Wanga.

The Homa Bay Governor said while the Linda Mwananchi faction members have a choice of holding a parallel meeting, it was clear that they were keen on dividing the movement that has championed democracy in the country for the last 2O years at the behest of their rivals.

ODM Nairobi County Chairman George Aladwa reiterated that the party only has one NDC being held at the Jamhuri Showground in the city and that any other purported NDC held elsewhere is not recognised by the party membership and should be shunned.

Aladwa warned the leaders allied to Siaya Senator James Orengo, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and Senator Sifuna against rocking the party from within. He asked them to quit if they are not comfortable with being in the party.

“Sifuna and Osotsi should tell us if they are in ODM or not. They cannot go against the position of our former party leader Raila Odinga who left us in the broad-based government and wrecking the party from within. If they cannot toe the line, they should just leave,” said Aladwa.

The Makadara MP said the late Raila left them in the broad-based government under the leadership of President William Ruto and that it was wrong for Osotsi to say that they are going to organise another meeting of National Delegates Conference in the city.

Osotsi said their Linda Mwananchi team will hold a peoples' NDC although it was there opinion that the party should not hold any such meetings at the moment, since it has only served to divide the party that was formed by the late Raila in 2OO5 but their rivals were adamant.

The ODM Deputy Leader said that it is the Linda Ground team that divided the party by ignoring efforts to address the emerging differences among the party leadership with reconciliation efforts by the mediation team led by former Busia Senator Amos Wako being ignored.

The Vihiga Senator said that their rivals conducted a National Executive Council meeting in Kilifi without involving them and went ahead to with their plan to remove Senator Sifuna as the Secretary General a matter that was overturned by the courts further worsening their relationship.

“The Linda Ground Team will be holding a National Delegates Conference ostensibly to endorse the working arrangement with United Democratic Alliance and to kick out those they perceive not to support their agenda; they should know the citizens are with Linda Mwananchi team,” said Osotsi.

He said that the activities of the Linda Ground Team will not earn them any popularity as long as the issues affecting the ordinary citizens remain unresolved their conduct is an exercise in futility and that they have already doctored the list of delegates attending the event.

Osotsi said ODM members had moved to court to raise fundamental issues before the NDC was held and that it should be noted that grassroots election had not been held in Five Counties and that their rivals were ready to circumvent procedures to achieve their goals.

Acting ODM Secretary General Catherine Omanyo said they are ready for the National Delegates Conference meeting that will set the pace on how ODM will conduct its business as the country gears up for the next general election, where they intend to have a good performance.

Omanyo said that they have made all the necessary arrangements so as to ensure that the largest opposition party, which has been in existence for the last 2O years has got its house in order in readiness for the battle ahead, which is to be in government after the next general election.

“The National Delegates Conference we will be holding intends to ensure that we maintain the vision of our founder the late Raila Odinga who wanted justice and fairness for all Kenyans and also the equitable sharing of the national cake,” said Omanyo.

National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed said that they are ready for the conference with the NDC to conclude pending issues for the party to move forward and did not divulge further on the agendas of the meeting, asking us to wait for the big day.

Junet, who was a close ally of the late Raila, said that in all the decisions they will be making, they will be out to ensure that the best interests of their followers are observed and they will strive to maintain the ideals of their former leader, who left behind huge shoes which are yet to be filled.

“ODM is a movement formed by the late Raila Odinga 2O years ago. We are ready to ensure that it moves to the next level in its political journey. We are to make ODM bigger and stronger following decisions made during the National Delegates Conference,” said Junet.