By Wafula Buke via FB
My little brother Dikembe pricked my ego again just like several have done claiming I did nothing at ODM and had no impact on strategy, politics and field operations. Ideally, employees surrender credit to bosses but I have to defend my record with some highlights and explanations:
1. The 2013 Raila presidential campaign secretariat settled on me as thorough and not corrupt. I handled most assignments and all risky field operations. If Rao was on a risky mission, I had to take it up. Rao has never been attacked where I have been in charge.
2. My 1st day on duty was Kasarani fiasco when Namwamba was taking away the party. Nyong’o read the “nay” and “aye” motion in English. The Ababu supporters were outdoing us. I went to the podium and advised Nyong’o to repeat the motion in kiswahili for all to understand. Our noise improved counterbalancing Ababu’s supporters “the “ayes” have it Nyong’o concluded.
2. The dramatic “baba while you were away” was a cut and paste from the full page response I wrote to Miguna Miguna on standard newspaper “Miguna Miguna, while you were away” the branding of Baba’s return was my idea, endorsed by Norman Magaya , Rosemary Machua among others at Capital hill.
3. I was instrumental in coming up with the name Okoa Kenya. Initially our ODM leadership rejected it. I secretly advised Norman Magaya to ask Kalonzo Musyoka to publicly propose the name. It was taken up.
4. The 1st ever private motion to parliament, was presented by me asking that parliament disbands the Hassan IEBC. Big boys came to me asking me to accept a “cow” at Intercontinental hotel to withdraw the bill. I reported the matter to Raila and remained firm.
5. When the party was unable to sack Magerer, Eliud Owalo, Nairobi MCAs, Rosemary and myself assisted Magerer to leave. At the time, he enjoyed Ababu and Nyong’os sympathies. Moles disappeared. Oduor Ong’wen called me screaming “do you know what you have done to the party” I told him to go to hell if he did not support the take over thru a coup.
6. Our coup created a job for Oduor Ong’wen whose 1st mission was to neutralize elements of the coup. He brought his workmate Tony Muturi to do my work. I told Tony “you are young. I can’t fight with u. Just work. I will assist you instead”
7. Tony Muturi took over strategy meetings as I was kicked out. Capital hill meetings with Magaya, paul mwangi, denis onyango became inaccessible. Rosemary was replaced by a sweetheart and the former ED’s Personal Assistant replaced by his niece.
8. At a NEC meeting in arthi river, Oduor Ong’wen, without consulting me, presented 7 names of members of the party strategy team, 6 Luos and1 kisii. I protested to John Mbadi. “This issue belongs to my docket not Oduor’s. Further more, how can we pick Luos alone as members of the party strategy team?” Mbadi ignored me. I have never met them.
9. Oduor Ong’wen instructed me not to deal with top officers of the party. He alone dealt with the Party Leader, Chairman, Secretary General, Organizing Sec. Etc. I was locked out of power. Hon Junet kept accusing me of being too combative. I couldn’t stage two coups so I lay low.
10. We stayed for 11 months without a directors meetings till I exploded on FB compelling Raila Odinga to order him to hold weekly meetings which he disobeyed.
11. He had no replacement for me on field operations so I ran by-elections. My absence gave them peace as it gave me per diem as Dikembe correctly but maliciously put it in the Star newspaper.
12. Throughout my time at ODM, I was the principal source of intelligence on politics and corruption. The mistake I consciously made was hand over info to Oduor who selfishly took credit.
13. People will never know what would have happened if I had not forcely taken over the recruitment and management of the agents for the Raila presidential election. My team, under Simekha Jme and Joe Ager know what I mean.
14. Fourteen of us took up the agents task without operational allowances within Nairobi for 40 days. We were only paid once; an airtime allowance of Ksh 3,500. On that day, Narok delegates got stranded at the campaign headquarters so I parted with 3000. I remained with Ksh 500.
15. I take responsibility for initiating the elevation of Philip Etale ‘s docket to directorship. Same to Benson Musungu. Selfish people were opposed to that.
16. I agree with Dikembe that I had been rendered jobless. Infact I did not know how the two MCAs and Senator from Bungoma were picked dispute being the ODM political Affairs director from bgm. To this day, I don’t know where meetings for party nominations were being held. Only Oduor and Tony moturi know.
17. The Task Force to investigate crimes by ODM bosses was constituted under Catherine Muma. Once again my input was being left out. I protested to my functional boss Tony moturi. He asked her to meet me. Muma gave me 30 minutes but took 3hours with me. She was overheard saying “Wafula Buke knows every party challenge and also knows all solutions. It would have been terrible if I didn’t meet him”
18. When the NEC picked criminals to oversee implementation of the task force recommendations, I exploded on facebook compelling Oduor Ong’wen to resign withdraw from the team. I knew my job was gone and did care because as Dikembe says, I was jobless.
19. While in my days in office, political moles were under siege, in the Dikembe, Junet and Oduor, Mbadi era, tested and proven comrades are under attack. Does anybody doubt the integrity, patriotism and commitment of Orengo, Otiende Amolo and Omogeni? Somebody owes everybody an explanation.
Meshack Okongo says
I support you brother. The party is ours and we must be heard. We are not quiting. If we are not heard and things get corrected. We’ll show the power brokers our true colours at the ballot.
We must be one not fighting each other now!