Oburu Odinga names prefered Raila successor
Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga has once again stirred the hornet nest by making a sensational statement on Luo succession politics.
He claimed that Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi was fit to succeed ODM leader Raila Odinga as the next Luo Political Kingpin.
His remarks come at a time when succession politics in the region has been a hot and stormy issue with no one keen to speak about it openly as he did over the weekend.
“Wandayi has proved to be a political master who knows the body language of Raila very well and always acts in his interests with precision and awe,’’ claimed Oburu.
He claimed that Wandayi is a brilliant politician who had learnt his political skills in the footsteps of Raila.
Oburu spoke at the home of Austin Makamu, a Siaya political activist, in Siaya over the weekend.
“We are the people who told him to venture into politics,’’ the Senator said, distinguishing the Minority leaders as the political maestro in the making.
“Wandayi knows what Raila is thinking about. Within a short period, people have seen his political prowess. For us, we have left for him, that space. They are the people who will now shepherd you to the next move. Embrace him,” he added.
“There is nowhere Luos sat down and endorsed Raila as their political kingpin. Raila is self-made politically,’’ Oburu added.
Oburu on how Raila succeeded
The Siaya Senator claimed that Raila just found a space in the political space and explored it more than all, but no one sat down to elect him as the revered Luo leader.
"That is how he became a kingpin. Nobody elected or appointed him as the community leader. Raila emerged as a mushroom plant,’’ claimed Oburu.
There have been efforts to succeed Raila, with some of the politicians in Luo Land making frantic efforts in vain.
Among leaders who were viewed as possible successors for Raila include former Cabinet Minister Dalmas Otieno and now Siaya Governor James Orengo. Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and Okoth Obado were also touted as possible candidates.
With Raila now slowly reducing affinity for active politics, the space is open to contest, with Oburu arguing that Wandayi told him some people are still waiting for Raila to say or give them direction.
“Wandayi has left no space. He once told me some people are asking what Raila is saying, what direction he is giving us. But Wandayi knows Raila’s body language and acts swiftly to his interest,’’ said Oginga
Currently, Wandayi and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka have taken the lead in the bipartisan talks aimed at brokering peace with the Kenya Kwanza
