Are you ready for the 2022 general election? If you aren’t know that its already brewing a lot of tension as the race is already on.
Under Nasa,opposition leader Raila Odinga’s appointment to the African Union as an envoy has sparked worries of negative impact on the Orange Democratic Movement with some wondering if he can multi-task on the international assignments and home politics.
“Raila is unlikely to call for elections now. Watch him closely and the big delegations he receives, especially from Mount Kenya. He may craft a new political machine that would bring on board those who ordinarily would be reluctant to join ODM,” a party source told the Star.
Most of Raila’s lieutenants, especially in Nyanza, are angling to be governors in 2022.
In Siaya, Senate Minority leader James Orengo and ODM Secretary of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi both want to succeed Cornel Rasanga as governor.
In Kisumu, Senator Fred Outa is plotting to oust Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
In Migori Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, Senator Ochilo Ayacko and Uriri MP Mark Nyamita are all allegedly eying the gubernatorial seat.
For months, ODM Chairman and National Assembly Minority leader John Mbadi has been battling with Secretary General Edwin Sifuna yet these two officials were expected to steer the party in Raila’s absence.
Mbadi’s decision to starve the NASA secretariat of MPs’ contribution and channel all the funding to ODM has made matters worse.
NASA CEO Norman Magaya last week dashed to the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal but then withdrew his complaint under unclear circumstances.
Mbadi wants to stand for Homa Bay Governor in 2022.Signs of trouble between Mbadi and Sifuna first played out when they publicly contradicted each other over leadership wrangles rocking the Homa Bay and Nairobi County Assemblies.
Some MCAs supporting Mbadi’s gubernatorial bid defied Sifuna’s directive in that there should be no change of leadership in the assembly. They want to replace the Speaker and the Majority leader causing a stalemate in assembly business. Mbadi denies that he is allied to those MCAs.
Asked if he was fighting with Wanga over the ODM ticket for Homa Bay Governor in 2022, Mbadi said, “For now I am happy with my Minority leadership position. If I have an interest to be governor, that is about 2022 and not now.”
“These fights may appear personalised, such as between Mbadi and Sifuna at the national level or Mbadi and Wanga in Homa Bay. But behind them is intense jockeying by those plotting to control the ODM vote in the anticipated post-Raila era,” said John Onyando, a former NASA communication official who has written a scathing book about Raila’s 2017 presidential campaign.
The Homa Bay assembly leadership, including Speaker Elizabeth Ayoo, is allied to Homa Bay Women Representative Gladys Wanga who also wants to succeed the present Governor Cyprian Awiti.
Do you think these seat battles will break ODM?