Raila Odinga’s latest political stunt, handing over the leadership of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, is nothing short of a sleazy move designed to distract from the festering corruption at the core of his party. Odinga’s decision to “step aside” is nothing more than a disgusting ploy to secure personal glory on the African stage while leaving his party in the hands of loyal cronies to continue their debauchery unchecked.
Let’s not sugarcoat this: Odinga’s so-called transition is a sham. It’s a filthy betrayal of the very people who’ve been blindly loyal to him, believing he stood for their interests. For decades, Odinga has positioned himself as the messiah of the downtrodden, but in reality, he’s just another power-hungry politician who’s been using ODM as his personal plaything. Now, abandoning the party to chase the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC), Odinga reveals his true colors—self-serving, greedy, and disconnected from the very struggles he once claimed to champion.
The real kicker? He’s left ODM in the hands of Anyang’ Nyong’o, a man who’s spent his career riding Odinga’s coattails and propping up the endless lies and corruption that have plagued the party. Nyong’o is nothing but a puppet, a pitiful figurehead designed to keep the ODM ship afloat while Odinga basks in his new quest for power. As ODM’s founding secretary-general, Nyong’o was neck-deep in every backroom deal and betrayal, working tirelessly to ensure the party’s downward spiral into corruption and moral bankruptcy. Now, Odinga expects us to believe that this man can lead the party? What a load of rubbish.
And what about the recent leadership changes within ODM? They’re laughable, if not outright insulting. Gladys Wanga, the new National Chairperson, is just another pawn in Odinga’s corrupt game. She’s not there to make a difference—she’s there to keep the rotten system intact. The appointments of Simba Arati, Godfrey Osotsi, and Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir as new deputy party leaders are equally pathetic. This isn’t about rejuvenating ODM; it’s about rearranging the same corrupt pieces on a broken chessboard. Nothing has changed, and nothing will.
Let’s be real: ODM is now nothing more than a cesspool of cronyism and nepotism, where positions are handed out based on how far you’re willing to kiss the ring of Odinga and his cronies. The inclusion of Ruth Odinga, Raila’s own sister, as Deputy Organizing Secretary is the height of nepotism. The fact that she’s being paraded as part of this so-called leadership change is a slap in the face to every Kenyan who ever believed in ODM’s vision. The party has become a family business, plain and simple.
As Odinga sets his sights on the AUC chairmanship, the people of Kenya should not be fooled. This isn’t about leadership or service; it’s about Odinga feeding his insatiable ego and leaving ODM in shambles. ODM, once a beacon of hope, has become a disgusting tool for Odinga’s personal ambitions—a playground for his corrupt minions to continue their dirty dealings.
Kenya deserves better. The people deserve a party that actually stands for them, not a cabal of self-serving thieves. As long as Odinga and his cronies remain in power, ODM will continue to rot from the inside out, betraying the very ideals it once claimed to represent.
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