ODM leaders refuse to support James Orengo as Raila Odinga's successor

• George Aladwa led ODM Nairobi county officials in seeking support for Governor James Orengo to succeed incumbent party leader Raila Odinga
• The national chairmen led by Fernandez Barasa said that Raila is still the leader of the party, and therefore the position is not open.
• Barasa outlined a series of meetings that will include the party's top leadership to discuss succession plans

ODM Nairobi county officials, led by George Aladwa, have expressed their strong support for the Siaya governor James Orengo as the expected successor of Raila Odinga.

This step comes here Raila aiming to get the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC), which can reduce his participation in local politics.

Why ODM leaders opposed the endorsement of James Orengo

However, Orengo's endorsement has been met with skepticism from ODM chairmen across the country who have termed the discussion of Raila's succession as premature, Citizen Digital reports.

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During the meeting held on Tuesday, September 10, the governor of Kakamega Fernandez Barasa, representing the county party chiefs, insisted that Raila remains the leader of the party and that any discussion about succession should involve the top leadership of ODM.

“We have decided that, since Raila is still the leader of the party, it is premature to discuss his succession at this time. Our party has set procedures to appoint an acting leader if needed,” he said.

How ODM will implement Raila's succession plan

Barasa assured party members that there would be no leadership vacuum following Raila's departure, citing strong structures to manage the transition.

He explained the upcoming decision-making schedule: the Central Management Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 11, the National Executive Council (NEC) will meet next week, and the National Delegates Meeting is scheduled for October to discuss further. succession plan.

“As the county chairmen responsible for party activities in our 47 counties, I want to assure our members that there will be no leadership gap. ODM has strong structures, and once these are strengthened, we will be ready to handle any transition, even if Baba resigns,” he explained.

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Why should Raila Odinga leave ODM leadership?

Raila has been the undisputed leader of ODM for almost two decades, a period that has recently sparked calls from within the party for him to step down.

Leading ODM since its inception in 2005, Raila's long leadership is testament to his resilience, strategic acumen, a

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Source: TUKO.co.ke