According to Miguna, Raila made both decisions without seeking approval from ODM’s National Delegates Convention (NDC), the party’s highest decision-making organ.
He argues that neither alliance was formally ratified by party delegates, raising questions about accountability and internal democracy.
The 9 March 2018 handshake effectively ended NASA’s opposition posture after the disputed 2017 election.
While it calmed national tensions, it fractured ODM supporters who felt blindsided and politically abandoned.
A similar pattern emerged in 2024 when Raila supported the broad-based government amid Gen Z-led protests against the Finance Bill. Critics say this move diluted ODM’s opposition identity at a time when public anger against the state was at its peak.
Miguna further accuses senior ODM figures — including Edwin Sifuna, Oburu Odinga, Winnie Odinga, Raila Odinga Jr and Ida Odinga — of selectively invoking party rules.
He questions why leaders who now demand strict adherence to party structures remained silent when Raila bypassed the NDC on matters of national consequence.
Sifuna, elected as ODM Secretary-General by delegates at a past party conference, has lately positioned himself as a defender of party procedure.
This has placed him at odds with leaders who argue that Raila’s legacy justifies continued cooperation with the state.
At the heart of the current infighting, Miguna sees no ideological divide. Instead, he frames ODM’s crisis as a struggle over access to power, influence and state resources following Raila’s political realignments.
Whether one agrees with Miguna or not, his remarks highlight an uncomfortable truth: ODM’s internal battles are deeply rooted in how power has been exercised — and shared — since the handshakes.
0 Comments