Speaking to The People by phone, Midiwo singled out Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’, Dr Oginga and Nyando MP Fred Outa as being behind wrong decisionsthat have pushed ODM to the brink of collapse. An angry Midiwo, who is the Cord Deputy Minority Whip claimed the trio were using their close links with Raila to influence making of some decisions that threaten the very unity of ODM.
“The likes of Kajwang’, Outa and Oburu have been misleading Raila on a number of occasionsand it’s time they are told plainly that they have no credibility to advise Raila,” said Midiwo, himself an ally and maternal cousin of Raila’s. Midiwo who, with Siaya Senator James Orengo, did not attend last Friday’s National Delegates Convection (NDC) at Moi International sportsCentre has been complaining that a section of ODM MPs were misadvising Raila politically.
But in a quick rejoinder, Outa told off Midiwo claiming, “he has found new love in Jubilee and is being funded to finish Raila politically.” Outa accused the Gem law-maker of taking family differences between him and Oburu too far by publicly attacking the legislator. “If he has gone to Jubilee, let him go and dine with them, but Jakoyo must know that even if he has family issues with Oburu he needs to address them at the family level and avoid bringing domestic issues on the national front.” “He should stop dragging my name into this, I am not part of that family,” Said Outa, also on phone.
The Nyando MP stated that Midiwo should not purport to be “vetting” leaders who Raila should talk to, saying the former Prime Minister has enough experience to know friend and foe. Outa claimed Midiwo’s outbursts were just a confirmation of his fear of strong leaders from Nyanza surrounding the Cord leader. “That is his problem, he fears stronger people from Nyanza walking with Raila would outshine him.
He has great appetite for weak leaders whom he can manipulate,” claimed Outa. On misadvising Raila, Outa denied the allegations noting that the party leader consults widely and cannot be held hostage by any one or three leaders. “Midiwo cannot tell Raila who to talk to. No one, even himself, can advise Raila, our leader consults widely and you cannot define who Raila’s friends are,” Outa told Midiwo. Kajwang also scoffed at Midiwo’s claims, stating that those out to destroy ODM and Raila were well known and documented.
“They can run in circles, but they cannot hide. We know them and we shall not allowthe party to be hijacked, even when they accuse us of misadvising the partyleader,” said Kajwang. Midiwo also claimed the Kasarani chaotic elections were pre-planned days before the NDC meeting. He claimed Kajwang’ had vowed to him that the exercise would be messy if nominated Senator Agnes Zani’s team did not carry the day.
“The disruption and chaos were sponsored by us (ODM leaders), Kajwang’ told me personally that no matter what, if his team would not win there was going to be chaos. Being one of the members who were against the elections I stayed out and am not regretting it,” said Midiwo. But, according to Outa, giving the polls a wide berth was more a confirmation that some ODM MPs were working with external forces to kill the party and are not in ODM with both legs.
Some notable ODM leaders who skipped the Kasarani event included Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Orengo, MPs Ken Obura (Kisumu Central), Agostino Neto (Ndhiwa), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) and Dalmas Otieno (Rongo). “If Kajwang’ told him so then why did he keep quiet? If you find your house about to burn, do you keepquiet or save the house?” posed Outa. Outa alternately blamed Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba’s camp for the Friday mess, saying the team circulated campaign paraphernalia in the voting hall against the rules guiding elections.
And Orengo on his part cautioned the former PM to be cautious with some people surrounding him, warning that they could be detrimental to his political career. “He should be asking himself questions, like why some of us who have been loyal and honest with him over the years, have suddenly changed our stand. They know the reasons why we did not attend the Kasarani meeting,” said Orengo.
- The People
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