The Orange Democratic Party (ODM) has proposed three deputy party leaders after two of its previous occupiers of the position joined the government to serve as Cabinet Secretaries in various dockets.

In a statement to newsrooms on Friday, August 9, 2024, the party proposed three leaders and made a raft of other changes in the party leadership at a time when party leader Raila Odinga has his eyes fixed on the race for the African Union Commission chairmanship.

“The ODM Central Committee held a meeting this afternoon to deliberate on matters affecting the leadership of the Party in light of vacancies created in its leadership following the resignations of our two Deputy Party Leaders, our National Chairman, the Secretary for political affairs and a member of the Parties Elections Coordinating Committee,” the statement noted in part.

Vihiga County Senator Godfrey Osotsi, Kisii Governor Simba Arati and his Mombasa counterpart Abdulswamad Nassir have been proposed to be the opposition party’s deputy leaders.

The party said it would recommend changes in the party’s constitution to the NEC to accommodate the three deputy party leaders in the new arrangement.

“As you may have noticed, the Central Committee has proposed three names for Deputy Party Leader. We will be making a recommendation to the NEC and the NGC to make the necessary changes to our constitution to reflect this,” the party said.

ODM recommends Ruth Odinga

Similarly, the Orange Party has also made recommendations to its National Executive Committee (NEC) to consider the proposal of Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga as the National Chairperson deputized by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and Turkana South MP John Ariko.

ODM’s Central Committee also proposed Kisumu Woman Rep Ruth Odinga to be the Deputy Organising Secretary, Kisumu West MP Rosah Buyu to be the secretary for political affairs, Migori County CEC Rahab Robi as secretary of publicity and information and Kajiado East MP Kakuta Maimai as the secretary for special programmes and social welfare.

The positions attracted immense interest among leaders and members of the ODM party according to Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.

“Whilst not all of us can lead at the same time, we wish to encourage those who may not get the nod that there will always be space for all of you to contribute,” Sifuna noted.

The vacancies were occasioned by the exit of the party’s National Chairman John Mbadi who is the current Treasury CS and Deputy Party leaders Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Joho who are CS Cooperatives and CS Mining respectively.