Orange Democratic Movement deputy leader Wycliffe Oparanya is reportedly said to have differed with his party leader Raila Odinga after reports emerged of a plot to block and sideline him from taking over as the next ODM leader upon Raila’s exit.
An insider revealed that apart from other factors, Raila considers Oparanya to be too weak to be the ODM party leader.
Ordinarily, ODM is associated with radical style of operation, the complete opposite nature of Oparanya.
After it dawned on him that that succeeding Raila will not be a walk in the park for him, Oparanya is now running like a headless chicken and is said to have shifted his attention to Kakamega senatorial seat come 2027 general elections.
A highly placed source within Chungwa House confided in Weekly Citizen that it is only a matter of time before the soured relationship between Raila and Oparanya spills over into the public domain.
Interestingly, it is those considered to be Raila’s confidantes who let the cat out of the bag, mocking the former governor when his scandal with a slay queen exploded.
Apparently, they took advantage of the incident and further sponsored online narratives that Oparanya is unfit to lead a party like ODM whose name he had put into disrepute.
Subsequently, it has emerged that Oparanya is silently forming a coalition with leaders with major seats in the county to allegedly undermine and derail the leadership of Kakamega governor Fernandez Barasa.
In March, Oparanya allegedly influenced a change in leadership at the Kakamega county assembly to remove the majority leader Philip Maina and replace him with Geoffrey Ondiro who is his area MCA.
The attempt failed after the MCAs met ODM SG Edwin Sifuna, chairman John Mbadi and Oduor Ong’wen and agreed to retain Maina as the majority leader.
Woman rep Elsie Muhanda is being fronted for the gubernatorial ticket and is likely to be deputised by one of the current leaders from either the northern or southern region.
The current formation of government in Kakamega county has Governor Barasa from the southern region, while Muhanda and Senator Bonnie Khalwale are from central region.
“Oparanya was given full support to lead the county for 10 years. Why is it becoming a problem for him to allow the current government to work? He has been holding late night meetings to disrupt this government beginning from the county assembly,” Barasa said.
Barasa faulted Oparanya for what he termed as lack of respect and political deceit.
On his part, Oparanya has been battling told control of the executive and legislative wing of the county under the management of Governor Barasa.
“Some of you leaders are hopping from one party to another. Today you say you are in ODM, when you go to Rift Valley you say other things. I want to say as a party, we will not tolerate that,” Oparanya told Barasa.
However, Barasa defended his affiliation with William Ruto saying national and county governments should work together and in tandem to complement each other.
This revelation of Oparanya’s ambition has laid bare underlying trouble between the two leaders despite efforts to reunite the two Kakamega based leaders.
“As my predecessor and deputy party leader, I’m disappointed because he lacks a stand in his politics. Previously, he wanted to be the party leader, president, cabinet secretary and now he wants to be a senator,” Barasa retorted. This plan will also spell doom for Khalwale who had banked on Oparanya and the southern region.
Khalwale declared his candidature during the burial of nominated MCA Godliver Omondi, in the presence of ODM party leader Raila Odinga.
This was interpreted as a scheme to battle out for the ODM ticket with Governor Barasa who is the current ODM chairman in Kakamega County.
“After serious consultations, I have decided to go for the gubernatorial seat. I am tired. In 2022, I was to replace Oparanya but Mudavadi made me to step down. Mudavadi, I want to tell you here in Matungu that this time, I’m vying against Barasa and nobody will stop me,” Khalwale said.
Oparanya’s quest to replace Raila as the ODM party leader might have been nipped in the bud by the ongoing Oparanya versus Hassan Joho factions.
In his camp, there is Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, former Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito, Muhanda and Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
“No one should say that Baba is an automatic candidate for the presidency. Joho is a deputy party leader of ODM, Oparanya is a deputy party leader of ODM, and they are entitled to vie for the seat of ODM party leader. ODM’s presidential candidate position is also on the table,” Raila said.
However, during an investment conference in Kakamega town recently, eyebrows were raised when Raila delegated Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi to represent him at the event.
The move unveiled more trouble for Oparanya’s political grip in Kakamega county after it emerged that out of the 12 MPs, only two have their allegiance to him.
Out of the 13 elected lawmakers in Kakamega, Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Innocent Mugabe (Likuyani), Emanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Christopher Aseka (Khwisero), Peter Salasya (Mumias East), Oscar Nabulindo (Matungu), Johnson Naicca (Mumias West), Malulu Injendi (Malava), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Fred Ikana (Shinyalu) and Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani) are in Barasa’s team.
Tindi Mwale (Butere) and Muhanda have declared their allegiance to Oparanya.
Joho who announced that he intends to run for president in 2027, says he will do so under an ODM ticket.
“I have leaders from the western region that we are engaging. We have to form a team of equals, like-minded leaders who believe in a course who understand where we want to go as a party and as a people to liberate our people. There will be a first among equals but we will engage,” he added.
In his camp, he had Wandayi, nominated MP and ODM chairman John Mbadi, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Narok senator Ledama Ole Kina, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko and a section of ODM leaders from the coastal region.