In July 2013, a movement within ODM Party entertained the idea that Raila Odinga should vacate the helm.
The ODM Party, we were told, was becoming a ‘Luo Party’ and as such, it needed to discard that tag.
Ahead of 2017 elections, of the many Jubilee tactics to weaken and destroy ODM was the sweeping poaching of ODM leaders across the country. The highest ODM official to fall to Jubilee machinations was its then Secretary General, Ababu Namwamba, until then one of the most promising ODM future leaders.
ODM is dead.
ODM is a Luo Party.
ODM is now a Luo Nyanza affair.
But did ODM die? Did it become a Nyanza Party?
I recently had a moment with a close friend of mine who suggested that a recent interview by Hon. Junet Mohamed, in which Hon. Junet insisted ‘BBI is an ODM baby’, could lead to the rejection of the document at the ballot.
My friend: Why did you allow your boss to say BBI is owned by ODM in media. It exposed a lot of vulnerability on you guys…
Me: But it is..ODM held a Central Committee meeting and endorsed BBI as party project, among other projects of the party.
My friend: I like how you guys can change any narrative as you want it when convenient…the problem is that it then slowly but steadily kills our credibility with the people…wanyalo paro ni gifuo but they are not…BBI is owned by Baba and Uhuru, they have been that consistent and the country bought that
Me: What’s wrong saying BBI is an ODM document? We’ve been its most consistent backers.
My friend: It makes it a village agenda…and even easily degenerates into a Nyanza affair. A Luo thing actually.
Me: You have been told that ODM should be a Luo or Nyanza thing that by now you helplessly believe so. ODM is a national party. Get used to it and get used to backing it as such.
My Friend: I don’t have a problem with that…I am just cautioning us on the perceptions out there.
Me: What perceptions? Perception is manufactured. If you believe ODM shouldn’t own BBI because of perception, then you believe ODM is such a bad thing that BBI shouldn’t be associated with.
My Friend: It is not what I believe that matters, it is the end that we want to achieve…Again all I'm saying here is feedback gathered from forums that I am in…
Me: Interpreting a discourse by people depends on so many things, among them being people’s predispositions…right?
My Friend: True.
You know elections are around the corner when ODM again becomes such a “bad thing”.
Ooh, elections are 17 months away…no wonder!
