Harsh Reality Hits Raila as His Top Confidants Face the Axe

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Raila Odinga is faced with tough decision of firing top confidants from positions in ODM as an only option left to salvage the party that is fast going under.
According to highly placed sources within the outfit, those earmarked for the sack in the looming shakeup are party chairman John Mbandi, secretary-general Edwin Sifuna, director of elections Junet Mohamed, secretary for political affairs Opiyo Wandayi and executive director Oduor Ongwen.
Also to be shown the door is deputy chair Janet Ongera, Steve Mbogo who is the secretary for political affairs.

The revelations come hot on the heels of an explosive internal report that revealed the Raila party as quickly crumbling due to a host of factors ranging from incompetence to deep-seated corruption at Orange House, where party tickets have been previously given to the highest bidders.

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The report was categorical that the secretariat was dysfunctional and shrouded with accountability issues, shambolic and predetermined nominations, lack of structured communication, opaque decision- making and claims of massive internal graft.

The report coincided with ODM’s recent troubles including loss of by-elections in Ugenya and Embakasi constituencies that left the party badly bruised following defeat by parties ODM was contemptible to.

The reality that ODM is sinking has sparked celebration among Ruto base.

The campaign team led by Siaya senator James Orengo had made a devastating blunder when during many of their campaigns packaged the duel as between ODM and Ruto.

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Other offices that registered poor performance as shown in the outcome of the two by-elections are that of finance and administration as well as political affairs and strategy placing Ugunja MP Wandayi on the radar now that the axe is coming.

In Luo Nyanza, there is a group of politicians who are casualties of the dubious operations at Orange House and even though others maneuvered the storm after successful switch to less popular parties many others were consumed and rendered politically irrelevant.

Take for example the case of Kisumu-based hotel mogul Odunga Mamba, who according to multiple sources, was repeatedly shortchanged at the nominations despite his gesture to fund the party including fueling vehicles and hosting party officials at his posh hotels whenever the party had activities in the region.

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He has silently but grudgingly retreated to his chain of businesses after it dawned on him that his dream to represent Alego Usonga in parliament was a tall order.

In Raila’s Nyanza backyard, there are only rare cases where politicians’ dreams have come true riding on a different party from ODM.
They are controversial Migori governor Okoth Obado and Muhoroni MP Onyango Koyoo, both who successfully made it through PDP before they switched to ODM during the last general elections.

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Others are former Alego Usongs MP Omnondi Mulwan who was elected on the Wiper ticket while Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch has enjoyed back-to-back victories through Moses Wetangula’s Ford-Kenya.

In Homa Bay, governor aspirant Oyugi Magwanga unceremoniously resigned from ODM and contested the race as an independent candidate while former Karachuonyo MP James Rege abandoned the party

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