I'm open to talks with ODM rebels, CS Mbadi says as he meet Luo elders

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi/FILE

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi yesterday said he is open to talks with ODM dissenters to address the internal wars threatening to break the party.  

Mbadi said he is willing to have a session with the rebels to unlock the stalemate that has persisted in the party for months now.

"They should come and try to convince us as to why we (ODM) should not work with President Ruto. But these disjointed statements are hurting us as both a party and a community," Mbadi said.

"We are now telling them to come and tell us why they want to go to the other side...because let's be honest, in Kenya there are just two political groupings. So if you do not want to work with Ruto, who do you want to work with? Is it (former President) Uhuru (Kenyatta), (DCP leader Rigathi) Gachagua and the rest?"

Mbadi spoke after a meeting with Nairobi Luo elders, calling on the Luo community to unite and stabilise the party in the post-Raila Odinga era.

The leaders raised concerns over the unhealthy division that has rocked the community as well as the party.

The elders said the wrangles rocking ODM risk weakening the community’s political voice at a critical transition moment.

They warned that sustained factional fights could erode gains made over the years under Raila’s leadership.

Mbadi said the team has taken it upon themselves to rally the community to shun the divisions and unite ahead of the 2027 election.

“The kind of exchanges [going on] is not healthy at all and does not serve in pushing the interest of our community and ODM,” Mbadi said.

“We cannot sit back and watch our children going back to the streets.”

The former ODM national chairperson announced plans to convene two high-level consultative meetings in Nairobi bringing together elders, elected leaders, professionals, youth representatives and grassroots mobilisers.

The aim, he said, is to forge consensus on the community’s political strategy.

“We cannot sit back and watch our children going back to the streets,” Mbadi said.

“You are going to see a bigger meeting of Luo community in Nairobi, we will follow it with entire Luo meeting here in Nairobi.”

Mbadi said they would escalate the unity push to other counties with significant Luo populations, including holding public forums to rally grassroots support.

Steven Mbot from the Luo Council of Elders Nairobi branch said the meeting supported the negotiations between President William Ruto and ODM leader Oburu Oginga.

 “Some of the agendas agreed on include keeping the Orange Democratic Movement party united and impactful ahead of the 2027 elections, how best the party can be useful and relevant in the broad-based coalition with President William Ruto,” Mbot said.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The elders’ intervention signals anxiety within the community over succession politics and ODM’s stability as the country edges closer to the next general election.