MP to take on Raila in race for party seat

Orange Democratic Members (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga (centre), former speaker of the national assembly Kenneth Marende (right) and the secretary general of ODM senator Anyang Nyong'o at Orange House, Nairobi, on January 15, 2014. Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will fight it out with Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati for the post of ODM party leader, if its election board approves the lawmaker’s application. PHOTO/FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Names released last evening by the party secretariat show that Mr Arati, a first-time member of the National Assembly, is the only potential challenger who has submitted his application for the party’s pole position.
• The secretary-general’s position has attracted politicians like Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, nominated senators Agnes Zani and Elizabeth Ongoro, and Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo. Traditionally, the party’s secretary-general is its spokesperson and often signs nomination certificates and is a signatory to any coalition agreements that ODM may enter into.

By AGGREY MUTAMBO

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will fight it out with Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati for the post of ODM party leader, if its election board approves the lawmaker’s application.

Names released last evening by the party secretariat show that Mr Arati, a first-time member of the National Assembly, is the only potential challenger who has submitted his application for the party’s pole position.

This will be among the many positions to be contested when the party holds its elections on February 28. Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Mr David Songok, who contested for the Turbo constituency seat in last year’s General Election, have handed in applications to deputise the party leader.

The secretary-general’s position has attracted politicians like Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, nominated senators Agnes Zani and Elizabeth Ongoro, and Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.

Traditionally, the party’s secretary-general is its spokesperson and often signs nomination certificates and is a signatory to any coalition agreements that ODM may enter into.

But the “party leader” is often the de facto presidential candidate and often directs the party on matters such as coalitions.

“There is a perception that you must be a party leader to be a presidential candidate. We want to do away with this notion. For all the issues that our former PM couldn’t handle, we want to help him do it. ODM is a party saleable to the whole country and not just to the Luos,” Mr Arati told the Nation yesterday.

The former PM has been the de facto leader of the party ever since it was born out of the 2005 constitutional referendum in which the orange (No) side won.

LIST OF CONTENDERS

National chairman
- Josephat Nanok
-Paul Otuoma
-Manson Nywamweya
-Mpuri Aburi

Organising secretary

-George Aladwa
-Julius Okinda
-Gitonga Wathanga
-Abdikadir Omar Aden
-Irshad Sumra
-Reuben Ndolo



National treasurer

-Timothy Bosire