Trouble is brewing up in the Azimio la Umoja movement led by Raila Odinga over the dominance of the Orange Democratic Movement party at the Azimio rallies.
Aspirants from smaller parties especially from Nyanza counties have expressed dissatisfaction in the manner in which the ODM party has been running Azimio events.
The aspirants have accused Raila Odinga’s party of attempting to force small parties to fold up and join ODM ahead of the August General Election.
Speaking on Saturday, February 12, Nicholas Gumbo, the Siaya gubernatorial aspirant accused Siaya Senator James Orengo and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed of turning Azimio rallies into ODM campaigns.
Gumbo cautioned against castigating members of over 10 parties that have expressed their commitment to back Raila Odinga’s fifth bid for the presidency.
Gumbo warned that the move could work against Raila Odinga’s bid to unite Kenyans under the Azimio la Umoja movement call.
“It is unfortunate that there are people who still don’t understand that Raila Odinga is greater than ODM, he needs the support of other parties for him to realize his dream,” Gumbo said.
Comments by the former Rarienda MP come after ODM party’s director of Election and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed recently said that ODM will not be getting into with other parties in Nyanza.
Speaking in Ugunja during the Azimio rally on Thursday, February 10, Junet said that the Nyanza region will be joining Azimio under the ODM party and not through any other outfit.
The emergence of smaller political parties is giving ODM aspirants sleepless nights as most of them have declared their intention to join Azimio la Umoja.
Among the parties that are keen to eat a share of ODM’s cake include the Movement for Growth and Democracy (MDG), Green Congress Movement (GCM) party, and the Communist party.
Even though there has been the suggestion of holding joint nominations fail, some of the parties have vowed to go all way to the ballot to challenge ODM even as they support Raila in the event joint nominations turn out to be unfair.
