ODM chairman John Mbadi has said that he shelved his gubernatorial ambitions after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga promised him a chance at the national level if he wins the country’s top seat.
On Monday, March 28, the Suba South MP announced that he had withdrawn from the Homa Bay gubernatorial race and opted to concentrate on campaigning for the ODM leader Raila Odinga, who is seeking to be Kenya’s fifth president.
While appearing on Citizen TV on Wednesday, March 30, the ODM chairman said he reached the decision to shelve his gubernatorial ambitions in favor of Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga after thorough consultations with his party leader.
The vocal legislator however did not disclose the roles he will play at the national level only saying he will be ready to take up any role as shall be directed by Raila- including being a sweeper at State House.
“It is not just obeying the voice of the party leader, but it’s reasoning. The governor of Homa Bay is a county position. If your party boss asks you, in the event, we form a government, could you accept that we work at the national government level in whatever capacity?
“I can go and even sweep at the State House if my party leader tells me to go there or even get another appointment elsewhere or even if there is no appointment; I am the national chairman of ODM- Kenya’s biggest politial party,” Mbadi said.
While dropping out of the gubernatorial race, Mbadi said he will henceforth concentrate his efforts on ensuring that the ODM leader wins the presidential seat.
“In the interest of these, I have today withdrawn my bid from the Homabay County gubernatorial race. I will therefore henceforth place more effort in the Azimio presidential bid and the nationwide bid to have ODM secures as many seats as possible…tasks that I am sure I can positively add value to,” Mbadi said in a long Facebook post.
