Opposition leader Raila Odinga is at the helm of a pivotal Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) meeting in Mombasa, the first of its kind since the impeachment proceedings against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua began. The three-day retreat, held by the National Executive Committee (NEC), comes at a critical juncture in Kenya’s political landscape, as Parliament prepares to vote on whether to oust or save the Deputy President.
The ODM NEC meeting started on Friday and is expected to conclude on Sunday. While ODM officials have downplayed the connection between the retreat and current political developments, the timing is significant. Gachagua’s allies have accused the opposition of playing a role in the attempt to remove him from office, further entangling ODM in the political drama.
Political Tensions Surrounding Gachagua’s Impeachment
The impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is a polarizing issue, with the potential to reshape Kenya’s political landscape. Gachagua’s allies in Parliament, including Embakasi North MP James Gakuya and Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, have openly accused ODM of collaborating with President William Ruto’s camp in the efforts to oust the Deputy President. These accusations come as ODM holds significant sway in the Senate, where Gachagua’s fate will ultimately be decided.
Gakuya, during an interview with K24 television, pointed the finger directly at Raila Odinga, stating, “I want to be very clear in this case, William Ruto and the mover of the motion could not have won this battle if Raila was not in it therefore Raila came in for a purpose.” Nyutu echoed these sentiments, claiming that ODM’s involvement in the impeachment proceedings would undermine the party’s credibility as an opposition force.
“If ODM members vote to impeach Rigathi Gachagua, then ODM will not convince anybody that ODM was not brought into government with the sole purpose to kick out the Deputy President,” Nyutu asserted. His comments reflect growing tensions between ODM and the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, which Gachagua has accused of betraying him.
The Senate’s Role and ODM’s Influence
The fate of Deputy President Gachagua now lies with the Senate, where the impeachment motion is set to be debated. To survive the motion, Gachagua needs the support of at least 23 senators to deny the proponents of the motion the two-thirds majority required for impeachment. ODM, with its 20 senators, holds significant sway in this decision-making process, making their stance crucial to Gachagua’s political survival.
Despite the high stakes, ODM leaders have sought to distance their NEC retreat from the ongoing political turmoil. ODM deputy Party Leader Geoffrey Osotsi, in a phone interview with The Star, emphasized that the retreat is not focused on the impeachment but rather on internal party matters.
“We are just having a NEC retreat. We are not discussing anything to do with local politics,” Osotsi stated. He further clarified that the retreat had been scheduled months in advance and was not tied to the current political climate. “It has nothing to do with the current politics because it had been done much earlier, three months ago,” he added.
ODM’s Internal Affairs: Grassroots Elections and Party Appointments
While the broader political landscape looms large, the primary focus of the ODM NEC retreat is party-related matters. According to Osotsi, the committee is set to discuss three main agenda items: the upcoming grassroots elections, party appointments, and preparations for future party activities.
One of the key items on the table is the proposed grassroots elections, which are set to begin in November. Initially planned for earlier this year, the elections were postponed in April due to heavy rains and flooding in several parts of the country. The NEC is expected to direct the National Election Coordinating Committee to commence preparations for the elections, which are crucial for consolidating ODM’s grassroots support base.
“We are going to direct that the National Election Coordinating Committee commence preparations for the grassroots elections in November,” Osotsi explained. These elections will play a critical role in strengthening ODM’s presence across the country as the party gears up for future political contests.
In addition to the elections, the NEC is also expected to deliberate on and approve recent party appointments. In August, ODM’s Central Management Committee selected governors Simba Arati (Kisii), Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), and Senator Geoffrey Osotsi (Vihiga) as the party’s new deputy leaders. The committee also appointed Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o as the chair of party meetings in Raila Odinga’s absence.
These appointments are seen as an effort to bolster ODM’s leadership team and ensure that the party remains well-coordinated in the face of internal and external challenges. However, under the ODM constitution, all decisions made by the Central Management Committee must be ratified by the NEC, making this weekend’s retreat an important forum for finalizing these leadership changes.
ODM’s Role in National Politics
While ODM leaders are keen to emphasize that the NEC retreat is focused on internal party matters, it is difficult to separate the meeting from the broader political context. As one of Kenya’s largest and most influential political parties, ODM’s actions have far-reaching implications for national politics.
The accusations from Gachagua’s allies, combined with ODM’s significant presence in the Senate, have fueled speculation about the party’s role in the Deputy President’s impeachment process. While ODM leaders maintain that the retreat is purely a “housekeeping” affair, the party’s involvement in key political decisions is unlikely to go unnoticed.
ODM’s relationship with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition is also under scrutiny. While the two political factions have historically been rivals, recent developments suggest a more complex relationship. Some ODM insiders have hinted that the issue of the party’s relationship with the ruling coalition will be discussed during the retreat, though party leaders have denied this.
The dynamics between ODM and Kenya Kwanza could have major implications for the future of Kenyan politics, particularly if Gachagua’s impeachment process moves forward. Should ODM throw its weight behind the impeachment motion, it could signal a new phase in the party’s strategy and its relationship with the ruling coalition.
Conclusion
As Raila Odinga chairs this crucial NEC meeting in Mombasa, the stakes are high for both ODM and the broader political landscape in Kenya. With the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua looming large, ODM’s decisions during this retreat could have significant ramifications for the future of Kenyan politics.
While party leaders insist that the retreat is focused on internal matters, the timing and context of the meeting suggest that political considerations are never far from the surface. As ODM prepares for grassroots elections and solidifies its leadership structure, the party’s role in the ongoing political drama surrounding Gachagua’s impeachment remains a key point of interest for political observers across the country.
