On Thursday, March 7, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement party, Raila Odinga, endorsed former Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho and his Kakamega counterpart, Wickliffe Oparanya, as potential successors to assume leadership roles within the party.
Speaking at a rally in Wajir County, the Azimio principal expressed his confidence in the two politicians even as he handed the mantle to them.
Raila directed the duo to take over the leadership of the party as he gets into a busy campaign across the continent for the African Union Commission chairperson seat
The former Prime Minister also urged the two leaders to unite the party and enhance grassroots support through the party recruitment drives.
"Our party will remain united, and I have Governors Oparanya and Ali Hassan Joho. We have them and they will come together," Raila stated.
"A party can not be broken just because one person has moved to another role, a party is not an individual, a party is the party members," Odinga added.
Odinga declared that despite his pursuit of a new continental role, he would remain accessible for consultations whenever Joho and Oparanya required advice.
Dismissing allegations of division within the party, Odinga affirmed that ODM remained unified and criticised media outlets for disseminating inaccurate narratives about the party's internal affairs.
"They keep on saying that ODM is almost breaking up, that there are wrangles in the party. That Oparanya and Joho are scrambling for the same position," Raila claimed.
Odinga's pronouncement comes a fortnight after the ODM leader's wife endorsed John Mbadi as the potential successor of Raila.
Speaking at a function in Suba South on February 23, Ida endorsed Mbadi whom she praised as Raila's heartbeat.
“Baba as he goes to AU has mentored many to take care of what he’s left behind. Mbadi after all these years of mentorship do you still need more training? Should I continue? That’s Baba’s heartbeat,” she stated.
