ODM, back the people or join the gravy train

Since President William Ruto decided to co-opt some Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members into his government, a salient debate is raging over the future of the Opposition.

ODM leader Raila Odinga has appeared to inflame the debate with his trademark doublespeak, one side insisting that his party remains in the Opposition trenches, claiming it has not entered into any coalition agreement with the Kenya Kwanza government, and the other sending signals that his allies would help President Ruto implement his agenda.

Odinga’s allies have even caused more confusion, publicly expressing their excitement over their friends’ absorption into the government while also insisting that ODM is steadfast in keeping the government in check.

This is not the first time Odinga and his lieutenants are sending mixed and contradictory signals to Kenyans on matters pertaining to Opposition politics.

First it was in 2007, when after a tumultuous general election, Odinga and a cabal of his friends joined President Mwai Kibaki’s government in what was then called nusu mkate arrangement.

Come 2018, Odinga was once again to leave Kenyans astounded when he struck a deal with President Uhuru Kenyatta in what was later judged to be an attempt to isolate his then deputy, Ruto.

In these instances, Odinga has always used the pretext of saving Kenya from disintegrating into anarchy and chaos as the reasons behind his decision to lead his troops into joining the government of the day.

This seems to have become Odinga’s ODM speciality – abandoning the party’s supporters and Kenyans midstream to join the gravy train.

Odinga’s recent decision to allow some senior members of his party to join Ruto’s government has once again highlighted the need to implement sections of the Political Parties Act that deal with party fidelity, discipline and democracy.

As in 2007 and 2018, Odinga’s party is once again pulling all the stops to have its cake and eat it too. This contradicts the very principles of Opposition politics.

Odinga and ODM must therefore end this habit of confusing Kenyans as they further their selfish political interests. Kenyans are longing for a more vibrant Opposition entity that would effectively oversee the Kenya Kwanza administration. The party should come out clearly and decide whether its members wish to remain in the Opposition or fully join the government.

To borrow the words of former US President George W. Bush, “You are either with us or with the enemy.”