Kenneth Ogosia
4 October 2008
Nairobi — The power struggle in ODM over who should deputise Prime Minister Raila Odinga is likely to be resolved through a deal proposed at a meeting in the PM's Bondo home last week.
At the meeting, attended by MPs from Luo Nyanza and the community's council of elders, it was proposed that both Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Agriculture minister William Ruto be elevated to the position of deputy leader with equal powers but different roles.
The party's polls are scheduled for next month and Mr Ruto, who is the Eldoret North MP, has made it clear that he was not going to settle for the secretary general post.
Mr Mudavadi, a former Vice-President, was Mr Odinga's running mate in the December presidential elections.
The power sharing proposal is yet to be discussed by the relevant party organs. If approved and implemented, the proposal is likely to stave off dissent and keep the party united through 2012 when Mr Odinga is widely expected to take another stab at the presidency.
According to the proposal, Mr Mudavadi would be in charge of ODM councillors group, a proposed national council of elders and resource mobilisation while Mr Ruto would take charge of the party Parliamentary Group, elections and policy formulation.
The plan comes hot on the heels of a warning by the ODM leader to rebel MPs to end tribal politics, strengthen the party in preparation for the 2012 General Election and comply with the Political Parties Act.
Speaking at the Catholic University in Nairobi on Friday, Mr Odinga urged politicians to focus on uniting the public on development issues.
Opposing plans
Some MPs from the South Rift have been opposing plans to evict people living in the Mau Forest. They have also claimed that the region was given a raw deal in Cabinet appointments in the Grand Coalition Government.
The rebel MPs include Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto who openly campaigned for a UDM candidate in the Sotik by-election. UDM supported ODM in last year's polls and one of its MPs, Prof Hellen Sambili of Mogotio Constituency, was appointed Sports minister.
UDM has lately been making major inroads in the Rift Valley. Its officials are Lt Gen (rtd) John Koech (Party Leader) and Rev Paul Cheboi (party chairman).
According to sources privy to the ODM secret plan, the positions of assistant deputy party leaders are reserved for Mvita MP Najib Balala and Kitui Central MP Charity Ngilu who still holds on to her Narc party. She was a member of the Pentagon, the informal group of the party top brass that drove the party campaigns last year.
Contacted to comment on the proposed deal Lands minister James Orengo, who attended the meeting, said: "We were just bonding and nothing was discussed on the direction you are talking about."
The Ugenya MP said the meeting was a consultative forum adding that the PM has been busy and the community leaders needed to discuss non-political issues.
Luo Council of Elders chairman Mzee Riaga Ogallo told the Sunday Nation that discussions at the meeting were confidential except the PM's position on male circumcision.
"What we revoked is forced circumcision because our people living and working in areas where it is practised as a culture are being cut forcibly. It is making our youth and students in schools outside Nyanza Province insecure. So we revoked it," Mzee Ogallo said.
Appointments to Cabinet
The Bondo meeting is said to have also discussed the impeding appointment of ministers to positions left vacant by the deaths of Roads minister Kipkalya Kones and Home Affairs assistant minister Lorna Laboso.
Ms Laboso was succeeded by her sister Dr Joyce Laboso Abonyo while Mr Kones was succeeded by one of his widows, Mrs Beatrice Kones.
Mr Odinga has been facing open criticism from the Central Rift over the distribution of Cabinet posts.
There are three pending appointments to the Cabinet - Ministry of Roads, Ministry of Finance and at the Home Affairs docket.
Among the ODM MPs from the Central Rift whose names have been mentioned as possible appointees to the Ministry of Roads are Belgut MP Charles Keter and his Buret counterpart Mr Franklin Bett.
Mr Ruto is said to favour Mr Keter while the PM is said to be keen on Mr Bett.
Additional reporting by ODHIAMBO ORLALE.
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