By MARTIN MUTUA and JUMA KWAYERA There is more than meets the eye in the determination by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to ensure that positions in the Orange Democratic Movement “are evenly distributed nationwide,” The Standard on Saturday can authoritatively report. Away from the ODM party elections, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have made several visits to the Coast region where they have met area leaders, a move said to have jolted the former PM into action. In the last General Election, the region overwhelmingly voted for Raila and CORD leaders in other positions. Impeccable sources told The Standard on Saturday that the former PM is determined to keep ODM intact in areas where it has enjoyed overwhelming support. And to fight the Jubilee infiltration in the region, the ODM leader is said to be keen on ensuring that party leaders from the Coast get key national positions in the party. Front runner Already nominated Senator Dr Agnes Zani is seen as a front-runner and a clear favourite of the party leader to capture the powerful seat of ODM Secretary General, which Prof Peter Anyang Nyong’o has declared he will not defend. Also seen as a front-runner for the position of ODM deputy party leader is Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho who enjoys considerable political support in the Coast. The recent visits by the President and his deputy are said to have resulted in the appointment of several leaders from the region to various parastatals. The latest is the appointment of former Garsen MP Danson Mungatana to chair the Kenya Ports Authority Board where top businessmen from the Coast believed to be aligned to the former PM are said to wield substantial influence. The recent push by a section of Coast leaders to ditch other parties and form their own in preparation for the 2017 elections is also said to have jolted the ODM top leadership into the recent action.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 04:55:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015