By The Weekly Vision
Plans to kick the ODM National Chairman John Mbadi out of the lucrative post by a section of party members is in top gear, sources have told The Weekly Vision. Mr Mbadi who is also a nominated MP has been at loggerheads with top ODM leaders for a while now, he has however declared that he is not dying to be the party chairman.
Sources well versed with the behind-the-scenes plans to kick Mr Mbadi out revealed that he is seen as a mole and has been plotting to wreck the boat from within. Keen political observers might have noticed that even though he is the ODM national Chairman, he has been missing in all ODM activities and specifically the demonstrations called by Azimio and ODM leader Raila Odinga. The nominated MP has been accused by a section of members of sabotaging the party leader by failing to attend rallies that have been held by the Azimio coalition in Nairobi City.
Minority Leader who is also the party’s political affairs director Opiyo Wandayi has now let the cat out of the basket and dared Mr Mbadi to declare his support for President William Ruto publicly. In unprecedented outbursts, Wandayi has accused Mbadi of working with President Ruto during the night and pretending to be with Raila Odinga during the day. Suna East MP Junet Muhammed has also dared Mr Mbadi to quit the party over what he termed as divided loyalty.
Analysts have however noticed that Mbadi has been at loggerheads with a section of party members since the conclusion of the last General Election after he was denied the position of Minority leader in Parliament, a position he was promised after he stepped down for Gladys Wanga to fly the ODM Gubernatorial flag for Homa Bay County. Sources divulged that Raila Odinga promised Mr Mbadi the position and at the same time also made promises to Mr Wandayi for the same position. Mr Wandayi had agreed to step down for James Orengo to fly the Siaya gubernatorial flag.
This decision did not go down well with Mr Mbadi who had told those who care to listen how Raila has shortchanged him. Mr Mbadi has however declared that he is not only ready to quit the chairmanship position but the party too. Last week, Junet and Wandayi warned him against sabotaging the party and even threatened to have his nomination to parliament revoked. According to ODM sources, it is just a matter of time before Mbadi is kicked out, what is still holding them back at the moment is getting a suitable replacement. Junet is said to be angling to replace Mr Mbadi while Embakasi East MP Babu Owino is said to have shown interest in the ODM chairmanship seat but ODM sources say Raila Odinga and other top party leadership believe he is still unfit to hold the chairmanship seat.
It is also being whispered that former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho who is also the deputy party leader could be the next ODM chairman. Although Mr Joho took a sabbatical leave from politics on health grounds, sources say he might rejoin active politics soon and take over the party’s leadership from Mbadi. Other sources divulged that former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya could also be considered to chair the Orange party. Oparanya has been a close Raila ally and to ensure Western remains in the party, he could land the top seat.
However, Mbadi in a quick rejoinder was quoted saying “Those who think being chairman is so important to them let them offer themselves to lead, I am very ready to leave the position to them, right now I am the chair but I am not dying to be the chair. I am still alive, they can still take away the chairmanship, I will still be alive”.
