The power tussle comes amid Raila’s intensified campaigns for a continental position, forcing him to navigate the delicate task of managing growing tensions within his party
Key regions that form the backbone of his support base are engaged in fierce competition for influential positions that have recently become vacant in the national office.
The resignation of former Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Hassan Joho (Mombasa) from their deputy party leader roles, following their nomination to President William Ruto’s Cabinet, has triggered these divisions.
Sources reveal that Raila has decided that the two deputy party leader positions will not be allocated to Kisii and Nyamira regions.
Instead, the positions are reportedly reserved for Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, a decision aimed at maintaining regional balance and fairness in leadership distribution.
Raila made these remarks during a meeting with party leaders from Kisii, including Governor Simba Arati, at a Nairobi hotel.
Arati, currently the ODM vice chairperson, had been campaigning for one of the deputy party leader positions.
The announcement that Joho and Oparanya will resume their roles before 2027 has added another layer to the internal conflicts.
Some party loyalists from Nairobi and Western Kenya had backed Arati, citing his grassroots mobilization skills as an asset for the party.
Makadara MP George Aladwa praised Arati’s dedication to the party, noting his effective engagement with the youth.
Aladwa urged Raila to consider Arati for one of the deputy party leader positions to harness his mobilization capabilities.
The competition for leadership has also intensified at the Coast, with Mombasa Governor Nassir and Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro both vying for Joho’s former position.
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