ODM picks Junet as Minority Leader, Millie Odhiambo new Whip in Parliamentary changes

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has announced new changes to its Parliamentary leadership structure after some of its senior members were recently nominated as Cabinet Secretaries in President William Ruto’s government.

President Ruto last week nominated Ugunja MP and National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi to head the Energy ministry, while ODM National Chairman and Nominated MP John Mbadi was picked for the Finance docket.

The Head of State further tapped ODM’s deputy party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya for the Mining and Blue Economy ministry and the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development respectively.

The Raila Odinga-led faction has now said it was forced to make changes after the four CS nominees formally tendered their resignations from the party as well as their various Parliamentary leadership roles.

The changes were announced by party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna in a statement to newsrooms on Wednesday after ODM’s Central Management Committee held a meeting chaired by Mr. Odinga.

“The party has officially released its officials who were recently tapped by President William Ruto for national duty as Cabinet Secretaries. I confirm that I have received the resignations of John Mbadi as National Chairperson of ODM, Opiyo Wandayi as the Secretary for Political Affairs, Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Ali Joho as deputy leaders of the party and Beatrice Askul Moe who has resigned as the member of the party’s election committee,” Sifuna stated.

The party has now proposed Suna East MP Junet Mohamed to replace Wandayi as Minority Leader in the National Assembly, while his current Minority Whip seat in the House has been designated to Suba North legislator Millie Odhiambo.

The changes also saw Saboti lawmaker Caleb Amisi proposed for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson seat previously held by Mbadi, while Wilberforce Oundo is set to become the committee’s new Vice Chair.

Sifuna at the same time allayed concerns of ODM joining Kenya Kwanza, insisting that it was still part of the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party and would continue to fight for the people and keep the government in check.

He went ahead to say the party supports issues raised by the Kenyan youth under the Gen Z banner during the recent wave of anti-government protests.

“We reiterate that there is no agreement of any nature between ODM and Kenya Kwanza. ODM remains a member of Azimio and will continue to play its role as a member of the opposition alongside other members of the coalition to push for accountability, transparency and equity in governance and public affairs,” stated the Secretary General.

“ODM fully supports the issues raised by Kenyans and particularly Gen Z, and notes that they are neither new nor difficult to understand. The issues, including but not limited to equity, unemployment, run away corruption, were raised by Azimio last year, they came up following the election violence of 2007-2008 and found their way into the Peace Accord as Agenda Item Number Four, but were forgotten as soon as normalcy returned.”