Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Signs of serious disagreement among the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} among its national leadership and the local branches in most parts of Luo-Nyanza has emerged giving a hint that the party is crumbling.

The party members appeared to have been disappointed by the frequent postponement of the party grass root election, which were originally planned for February this year and were later postponed to April and now pushed forward to June.

A public rally called by a splinter group in Karachuonyo branch headed by Jack Nduri a former STANDARD journalist demanded in one of the several resolutions that the election should go on next month {April 2011} has planned and they should not be postponed again.

The meeting also endorsed the candidature of Prof.. Larry Gumbe for the position of the party’s Secretary-General in replacement of the current holder of the same position Prof.Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Present at the rally were was the immediate former Karachuonyo MP Dr. Paul Adhu Awiti, who is currently the political adviser to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Prof. Larry Gumbe who is aspiring for the position of the ODM Secretary General and the chairman of the Center for the Multiparty Democracy CMD}, Ogola Kagoro {Rangwe} Sammy Aroro {Gusii} Donny Opar a perennial election loser in Karachuonyo parliaentary seat

Others included Donny Opar an aspirant for Karachuonyo parliamentary seat, a former Ndhiwa Ward Councilor Akech Chieng’, and other local leaders.

The meeting endorsed another resolution which demanded that there should be a separation between the local branch affairs and the office of the sitting MP.

The meeting endorsed Pro. Larry Gumbe for the party’s Secretary-General in replacement of the incumbent Prof.Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o whose performance came under severest criticism at the rally.

The meeting, according to Jack Nduri blamed the Karachuonyo MP Eng. James Rege for meddling into the party branch affairs.

Earlier before the meeting took place, the MP had made an appeal, via a local FM Radio station, distancing himself from the meeting arguing that the organizers were not the de facto branch official, but a member of the splinter group purported to be running parallel branch to the one whose official were duly elected in the last meeting.

Tension was high, but close to 18 policemen maintained a close watch around the venue, which was at the Show Ground, Kendu-Bay. The presence of the security personnel defused the hitherto highly charged tension.

Nduri claimed that the MP who was invited to attend the meeting skipped it and stayed away, and so were other branch officials including the chairman Ezra Odondi Opar.

A spokesman of the truly elected branch official termed the meeting as illegal as it was convened by unelected branch officials and accused the party headquarters of playing double standard political games.

The party headquarters called a meeting of the two groups sometime last year in Nairobi for the harmonization and the smooth running of the branch. It was agreed at the meeting that the two splinter groups should go for power sharing until the next election.

The Opar’s group had accepted the arrangement as per the advice by the party head office at Orange House, but Jack Nduri group developed cold feet and refused to honor the new arrangement as directed by the party head office.

The observers and local pundits were of the opinion that the presence at the rally of Dr. Adhu Awiti who is the political adviser to the Prime Minister in Nairobi significantly pointed out the direction likely to have been taken by the party leadership in regard to the continued wrangling among the branch officials.

Some of the speakers at the rally blamed top officials at the party headquarters of double speak, and for sponsoring and imposing non-elected officials on the branch.

Several branches in Nyanza like the those in Nyakach, Rongo and other places are facing similar situation like the prevailing in Karachuonyo.In the case of Karachuonyo the party members have pointed their finger at the former area MP Dr. Awiti for being the source of disunity in the branch.

Dr Awiti, they said had lost the 2007 election to the incumbent MPO Eng Rege and had accepted the defeat, and as such should retire honorably and stop meddling in the party affairs. He should be content with his present job of advising the Prime Minister Raila Odinga on political matters and stop meddling in Karachuonyo party matters.

Also in attendance at the Kendu-Bay rally were a number of political hirelings commonly known as “Politicians for Hire”from Kasipul- Kabondo, Rangwe and Ndhiwa who masqueraded as the ODM interim officials of the Homa-Bay County branch, which is still yet to be established.

Reached for comment, MP Rege scoffed at the accusation saying the can only work with the truly elected party branch officials and not members of a splinter group because as the area MP he is responsible for promoting peace and unity of all the constituents.

He blamed those sponsoring the splinter and parallel branch officials as the ones responsible for disunity and called on the population to ignore such impostors and self-styled leaders. “Anyone interested in holding the position at the branch office should come forward and contest the election in the open air when the elections are held in June.

Ends