Orange MPs oppose new line-up

Siaya Woman Representative Christine Ombaka, Funyula MP Paul Otuoma and Senator James Orengo during the launch of Ugenya Teachers Training College. More Orange party MPs have opposed the party’s compromise list of officials and demanded that the entire membership participate in elections. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Mr Otuoma views the elevation of his younger Busia counterpart Mr Namwamba, who was named secretary-general, as a slap in his face.
• Mr Gumbo said the main concern of some in the party right now is the state of the secretariat, which he blamed for the mess at the Kasarani Gymnasium, the scene of the bungled elections in March.
• But according to Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, who was named Secretary for Political Affairs, “all this hullabaloo is unnecessary” because all these concerns would be amicably addressed internally.

By JOHN NGIRACHU
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More Orange party MPs have opposed the party’s compromise list of officials and demanded that the entire membership participate in elections.

After Funyula MP Paul Otuoma, who was among the first leaders to express their discomfort, five Orange Democratic Movement MPs demanded that the party hold open elections instead of having negotiations that resulted in the selection of the officials last weekend.

“We can’t say that you can meet in a room and share positions and say that the decision was made by all,” said Mr Otuoma at a press conference at Parliament Buildings.

He said that the protracted wrangling over positions, which escalated after an attempt to hold elections in March ended in disarray, should come to an end so that the party can play its role as the Opposition.

“We must get a solution to take the party forward so that we can stop talking and start working,” Mr Otuoma added.

Mr Otuoma views the elevation of his younger Busia counterpart Mr Namwamba, who was named secretary-general, as a slap in his face.

He was joined Thursday by Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda), Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West) and Abdikadir Ore (Wajir North).

ODM party leader Raila Odinga has faced an unlikely revolt from his allies after the retreat in Elementaita at which the officials were selected, with Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Busia Woman MP Florence Mutua rejecting their positions.

Mr Odinga has in the meantime been reaching out to disgruntled leaders who felt they should have been in the line-up but were dropped.

CLAMOUR FOR POSITIONS

Mr Gumbo said the main concern of some in the party right now is the state of the secretariat, which he blamed for the mess at the Kasarani Gymnasium, the scene of the bungled elections in March.

He was also emphatic that their clamour is not for the positions but about the process through which the officials are selected.

“How can we say that we are in the Opposition yet the people who are in dalliance with the government are the ones we are being given to lead us?” he asked.

He however said: “If the membership of the party feels that they are the right ones, we’ll take them...”

Mr Gumbo said some of those uncomfortable with the list of officials spent their personal resources in Okoa Kenya, the Cord-led push for a referendum, yet some did not even attend events in their own counties.

But according to Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, who was named Secretary for Political Affairs, “all this hullabaloo is unnecessary” because all these concerns would be amicably addressed internally.

He said the list of officials was interim and subject to the approval of the National Governing Council, which meets at the Bomas of Kenya next Friday to decide on whether the named officials remain or are replaced.

“All these things are perfectly within the ODM constitution,” he said at Parliament Buildings.

“You’ll never find 100 per cent concurrence on issues to do with party positions because politicians by nature would want to be appointed,” he added.