- Former Homa Bay governor Cyprian Awiti broke a long public silence in a televised interview, making bold claims about ODM's future
- Awiti argued that political parties in Kenya are extensions of their founders and cannot survive without them
- The former governor also reflected on his two terms in office, describing the governorship as a demanding full-time role requiring maturity and vast experience
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
Nancy Odindo is a current affairs writer at Tuko.co.ke (joined in 2023). She has one year of experience in print and more than five years in digital media.
Former Homa Bay governor Cyprian Awiti has resurfaced after years away from the public eye, issuing a stark warning that the Orange Democratic Movement will not survive the prolonged absence of its late leader Raila Odinga.
Source: Facebook
Awiti made the remarks in a sit-down interview broadcast by RedRing Media on Sunday, October 11, in what appeared to be a wide-ranging political retrospective filmed in an indoor setting.
Awiti on ODM's uncertain future
Drawing on Kenya's political history, the former governor argued that major parties have always been personal projects rather than institutional structures.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
He cited KANU under the late former president Daniel Arap Moi, the Democratic Party under the late Mwai Kibaki, and Ford Kenya under Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as examples of parties that effectively died with their founders or lost relevance once those leaders stepped away.
"Parties belong to individuals, not to people, as you think," Awiti said. "ODM belonged to Raila. It is a lull period for the party. People are fighting because they are looking for a leader. ODM will go, believe me, whether they like it or not."
He went further, pointing to the Luo community's political character as a factor complicating ODM's current situation.
In his view, Raila's democratic approach within the community has paradoxically made it harder to keep the party cohesive in his absence.
"Luo is a complicated community, and only Raila knew how to handle them. Raila brought democracy, and it is now causing problems," Awiti said, adding that even the delivery of major infrastructure projects had not been enough to maintain unity. "You bring Aliko Dangote, the Rironi-Mau Summit Road, and other projects and people still go to court."
He concluded that the only solution was to bring Raila back: "Luo is democratic; to get them together, you must bring Raila from where he is. Take it from me."
Awiti reflects on his two terms as governor
Awiti also spoke at length about the demands of the governorship, which he held for two consecutive terms. He described the role as one requiring total dedication, broad experience, and the ability to navigate competing interests across health, education, agriculture, roads, trade, and land.
"A governor requires a mature person with a track record and very vast experience of dealing with people, communities, government, donors, and the private sector," he said.
He cautioned against leaders who enter office with personal financial gain as a priority, warning that diverting funds from public coffers would cripple service delivery, from hospitals to road construction to salaries for county workers.
Among the achievements he cited from his time in office were the establishment of three major markets, including in Miriu and Oyugis, and the founding of Tom Mboya University, which he described as a project he championed personally.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Authors:
Tags:
Hot: