REVEALED: WHY Ababu Namwamba and his team WANT Raila to take a REST

After resolving a 9 month political crisis in Kenya’s largest political party, ODM, the newly endorsed leaders want ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga to take a backseat and allow them reorganize the party’s campaign machinery. The leaders want Odinga to ‘rest’ from the daily ODM affairs as they reorganize it ahead of the 2017 elections.

“We want to allow him now rest. That doesn’t mean he exits the public space as everything we are going to do will have to have his wisdom and blessings, but it is us to do it. It is us return the fire. It is us ressurects the grassroots. His time will come,” said one of the leaders, exuding confidence they will turn around the prospects of the Orange Party.

Yesterday during the National Governing Council (NGC) meeting at Bomas of Kenya, the incoming leaders hinted to the delegates their plan to ‘relaunch’ the Orange campaign machine immediately till the next general elections, saying they have all reasons to take over political governance in Kenya from the Jubilee Alliance.

Addressing delegates moments after being handed over ODM’s legal instruments, Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba who is the new Secretary General said ODM will be facing people who have perfected the art of ‘retaining power’ hence it requires everyone in ODM to pull together and begin building an indomitable political campaign machine.

With his now well known rallying call ”gather all, scatter none”, Hon. Namwamba asked delegates to trust the new team, saying it can and will deliver. He will be deputised by Senator Dr. Agnes Zani and Senator Elizabeth Ongoro.

Mombasa Gov Ali Hassan Joho laid down the new team’s message to its party leader, asking him to take a backseat and let them reorganize the party.

“We will move in every county, every constituency, every word, reviving the grassroots because this is a party of the grassroots. We will only call our party leader to wind up the battle,” said Joho.

Speaking in a flawless Kiswahili, Joho insisted ODM has the will, reasons and capacity to defeat Jubilee come 2017.

“Nia ya kuwashinda tunayo, sababu za kuwashinda tunazo na uwezo wa kuwashinda tunao” – said Gov. Joho who was elected as Deputy Party Leader.

Outgoing Secretary General Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o urged the new leaders to be wary of the ‘drum major’ syndrome – an unhealthy competition and selfish desire to be the first among equals.

“I have done something for this party, and you know it,” Nyong’o said while relinquishing the post of Secretary General to Hon. Namwamba. Prof Nyong’o had been the party’s chief secretary for the last 9 years.

The delegates have created a new position, Director of Elections, which Suna East MP Junnet Mohammed was nominated to occupy. He will be deputised by ODM youth winger Bob Njagi and Mombasa Women Representative Mishi Mboko.

ODM is set to fill the post of Executive Director left vacant by internal saboteur Magerer Langat who was ejected recently after claiming the Orange party is dead.