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ODM leader Raila Odinga said on Monday he might pick replacements for four of his cabinet nominees to stabilise the party so he can focus on his bid for positions on the continent.
The Opposition Leader held talks with Governors Abduleswamad Nasir (Mombasa) and Simba Arati as part of his swift political maneuver to fill the vacuum left by the Cabinet Secretary nominee.
The two governors, who are considered loyal to the party and won their seats with the ODM party in the 2022 elections, met Raila in Mombasa on Monday.
They are also seen as active grassroots mobilizers who are crucial in steering the party’s existence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources familiar with Raila’s plans told The Star that the two governors are expected to become Odinga’s deputies in the coming weeks, replacing Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya.
They are expected to take over the ODM as Raila focuses on campaigning for the African Union Commission chairpersonship in the February 2025 elections.
On Tuesday, a senior ODM official confirmed that consultations are now at an advanced stage to reach a consensus on Arati and Abdul Swammad taking over as Raila’s deputies.
The official described the two men as loyal and reliable.
“The Raila party needs someone who can be hands-on and take over and develop the party in its entirety in Raila’s absence,” he said, insisting that the issue of regional balance had also been considered.
“Abdul Swamard succeeded Joho as the governor of Mombasa and has done a great job. He is a man you can trust at any cost and that is how I would describe Arati in Kisii.”
Arati defeated his main rival, former Education Minister Ezekiel Machogu, by a huge margin in the 2022 general election to succeed the retiring Governor James Ongwae.
Arati served as the Dagoretti North MP for two terms and played an important role in the development of the ODM party in Nairobi.
After weeks of protests, President William Ruto last week nominated some of the ODM’s top leaders, including Raila’s two deputies, to his Cabinet as part of his broader government arrangements.
Ruto appointed former governors Joho (Mombasa) and Oparanya (Kakamega) as cabinet ministers in his government, subject to parliamentary approval.
The two are the highest ranking ODM leaders after Raila and are said to have played a major role in boosting the party’s fortunes in western and coastal Kenya.
The two leaders were at the height of the “Azimio-La Umoja” Kenyan presidential campaign in the 2022 general elections where they played a key role in stopping President Ruto’s candidacy.
ODM president John Mbadi and National Assembly minority leader Opiyo Wandayi have also been proposed for cabinet posts once parliament approves them.
While in Mombasa, Raila also met with Joho and Oparanya and held talks with Abdul Swamard and Arati on Monday.
Raila’s meeting comes at a time when the ODM party is reeling from a war of succession, with Raila’s key allies vying for several posts, including the minority leader of the National Assembly.
President Ruto nominated Minority Leader Wandayi as Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum in the Government of National Unity.
Among the heavyweights being hailed as Wandayi’s successor is Otiende Amollo, an experienced lawyer and member of parliament for Larionda.
Amoro is currently serving his second term in the National Assembly.
Other MPs include Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo, James Nyikal (Seme), Jared Okello (Nyando), Babu Owino (Embakasi East) and George Aladwa (Makadara).
Raila is expected to make the final decision on who will succeed Wandayi, but he faces a delicate balancing act in the process.
Raila will also decide on the posts of Political Affairs Secretary, which Wandayi will also hold, and Minority Leader.
The ODM boss will consider factors such as region, experience, gender and loyalty before deciding on the next minority leader of the National Assembly.
Raila will also decide who will succeed Mbadi as ODM chairman after he was nominated as the national minister of finance and economic planning.
Arati currently serves as Mbadi’s deputy in ODM.
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