Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Deputy party leader Hassan Joho has expressed confidence in the party forming the next government.
Addressing members at the ODM National Governing Council 2024 meeting at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, Joho asked members to mark the date and remember his words that ODM will form the next government.
He urged ODM members to be ready to take over the government in 2027.
“You as an ODM member, believe in yourself,” said Joho.
The former Mombasa governor was responding to a member who was weary about being on the government’s radar.
In expressing confidence, Joho said ODM leaders are political students of the party leader Raila Odinga and so they are up to the task.
However, he said it is impossible to fill Odinga’s shoes. Joho said not even he, fellow Deputy Party leader Wycliffe Oparanya, or the entire ODM membership can fill those shoes.
This comes amid the ODM succession debate as Raila campaigns for the African Union Commission chairmanship.
Meanwhile, Raila has urged ODM members to remain united saying ODM was a national party and every member had a part to play.
He cautioned leaders against dividing the party into regions.
“This party needs Joho, it needs Sifuna, it needs Abdulswamad, Mbadi, all of you, you are the face of ODM,” said Raila.
“Don’t divide yourselves into ‘Coast’ saying Joho is fit to take over, ‘Western’ saying Oparanya is better, ‘Nyanza’ saying if Baba exits, someone from Nyanza has to take over,” he reiterated.
Raila termed that as divisive politics that does not represent the stand of ODM.
