A power struggle has hit ODM, delaying the hiring of new commissioners for the party’s National Elections Board.
Leader Raila Odinga has delayed the reconstitution of the board, two months after he kicked out the Judy Pareno-led team, in what has been attributed to infighting at Orange House.
The Star has established that tension has heightened in a struggle between two camps fighting to influence the hiring of members to the party’s electoral board. Those fired are Nancy Abisai, Peter Odoyo, Amana Mwajirani, Hellen Katengie, Peter Mutulu and Joseph Misoi.
However, Raila retained chairperson Pareno. One faction led by ODM executive director Oduor Ong’wen is said to be in support of Raila’s decision to retain Pareno as the chairperson of the board. A rival group, allegedly led by secretary general Ababu Namwamba, wants the East African Legislative Assembly member kicked out. The tussles recently escalated when a section of party officials rejected Namwamba’s far-reaching work plan to tighten nomination rules ahead of the general election.
Raila approved the rules awaiting endorsement by the National Governing Council but a so-called cartel of power brokers around the former PM opposed them. The differences have disrupted activities, including countrywide recruitment of members. “Those forces that fought me to become secretary general did not die ... it has been a very frustrating 18 months in office,” Namwamba said in an interview last week.
Once put in place, the NEB is to ensure party primaries are free, fair and credible, while focusing on completing them by February next year.
In April, Raila dissolved the board in far-reaching internal reforms. The bold step was an attempt to end chaotic primaries. NEB has been accused of mismanaging ODM’s past nominations through internal structural failures that perpetuated violence.
