Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) who are also ODM Deputy Party leaders have both declared their 2022 Presidential bid with Oparanya’s remarks while declaring his bid causing uproar amongst ODM stalwarts.
While speaking during Sports CS Rashid Achesa’s homecoming graced by DP William Ruto over the weekend, Oparanya claimed he was best suited to beat Ruto and urged Raila Odinga his Party leader to retire sentiments that have not been taken lightly by other ODM leaders from Western and yonder.
Of interest is how the two ODM leaders will jostle it out considering Raila’s lieutenants are already urging him to make a go at the land’s top office for the fifth time considering despite putting up a spirited fight including swearing himself in, 2017 elections seems a closed chapter.
Word has is that the revamped ODM leadership that has Edwin Sifuna as Secretary General is a lineup pro Joho aimed at boosting his 2022 bid.
However, Odinga has continued to downplay 2022 succession politics within his Party choosing instead to talk about the bigger picture that is NASA reiterating that the coalition was strong and that the focus was not elections in five year’s time but electoral justice, judicial and police reforms.
Busia Senator Amos Wako dismissed calls of having Raila retire saying Raila was still ‘young’ and primed for leadership. His sentiments were echoed by Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo who said Raila’s father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga died aged 83 while still actively involved in politics.
His Ugunja counterpart Opiyo Wandayi added that “Raila is the only leader we know, his word is law.”
Leave a Reply