The late Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s lawyer Paul Mwangi has claimed that the Edwin Sifuna led faction in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party opposed to the broad-based arrangement was part of a calculated fallback plan by Raila Odinga.
According to Paul Mwangi, the group was meant to act as a backup within the Orang Party, giving Raila Odinga a way to disengage from his deal with President William Ruto, if the arrangement proved politically untenable.
Paul Mwangi said it’s not necessary to argue about which side reflects what Raila Odinga wanted and stood for, because both sides represent different parts of his political strategy.
“What you’re having today is actually a fight between two Raila factions: a political-diplomatic faction and a militant faction. Raila was a multifaceted political character, and each group represents a different aspect of his legacy,” Mwangi added.
He maintained that Raila Odinga would not enter a political agreement without having a backup plan in case things don’t go as expected.
“Raila would not engage in anything without an exit strategy. If things did not work out, or if there was a clash with the corporate side, he would turn to the militant faction and rally them as a fallback,” he said.
Divisions have emerged within the Orange Democratic Movement, with Secretary Edwin Sifuna leading a group of lawmakers, including Babu Owino, Caleb Amisi, Caroli Omondi, Godfrey Osotsi, and Governor James Orengo, in opposing the party’s deal with President William Ruto.
The faction has accused President William Ruto of undermining Raila Odinga’s party. They claim the current ODM leadership has shifted away from the party’s and Odinga’s long-standing legacy of standing with the people.
