- Nairobi women’s representative Esther Passaris said Rigathi Gachagua’s new criticism of ODM was wrong, pointing out that he had his own party issues.
- Passaris pointed to ODM’s recent victory as proof of its strength, noting that the party’s transition moved quickly after the death of Raila Odinga.
- He suggested that Gachagua’s focus on ODM showed insecurity, saying he expected the party to collapse after Raila’s death
Nairobi women’s representative Esther Passaris has dismissed the new attacks from the former vice president Rigathi Gachagua against the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party.
Source: Facebook
Passaris said Gachagua should stop lecturing ODM about his issues and instead focus on strengthening the Democratic Party for the People (DCP), which he currently leads.
Why does Esther Passaris criticize Gachagua?
During an interview on TV47 on Wednesday, December 3, the Nairobi MP defended ODM’s stability following the death of Raila Odinga.
Passaris disputed claims that the party has been “sold out” to the President William Rutoaccusing Gachagua of diverting attention from problems within his party.
“I think he should focus on his political party and leave ODM alone. ODM has been tried and tested. It has been around for 20 years. He should not be worried about ODM. He should be worried about his own party and his own alliance and his own future in politics in Kenya. I don’t think he should be worried about ODM,” he said.
Gachagua, speaking earlier at the DCP headquarters in Nairobi, claimed that Ruto had entered into a secret agreement with senior ODM leaders Junet Mohamed and Gladys Wanga.
According to him, the two allegedly received advance payments from the president in what he called the sale of ODM.
He also linked Junet Mohamed’s absence on the day Raila died to the alleged contract, insisting that the Suna East MP stayed behind on purpose.
He said ODM has not yet changed, it is organized and guided by clear leadership structures that were already in place before Raila’s death.
The MP said that the party took quick steps to manage the transition by appointing Senator Oburu Odinga as acting party leader before confirming Mombasa, where Wanga was also confirmed as party chairman.
“ODM is a strong party and we have proven that with the recent victories we got in Kasipul and Magarini. We are a strong party and we are here to stay. And for my part, there are many people who are trying to create this concept of division. Ok, ok, Baba died. It was sudden. Of course, there will be shock waves. Ok. But we are very united. And I don’t believe that anyone other than an ODM member can tell us about the direction the party is heading. We have good leadership,” he added.
What evidence did Passaris give to show that ODM is strong?
He highlighted ODM’s recent victories in Kasipul and Magarini as proof that the party still enjoys strong national support.
According to Passaris, ODM’s stability lies in its structures, its constitution, and its loyal member base that has survived changes in national politics for two decades.
Passaris also accused Gachagua of pushing a narrative of division at a time when the party is focusing on unity after the sudden death of Raila.
He said ODM members understand their way forward and have remained committed to the broader politics that Raila advocated.
Source: Facebook
The MP suggested that the former vice president’s focus on ODM instead of his own party shows insecurity.
He said that the former DP was among the leaders who expected the broad-based labor agreement to break with Raila’s death.
“So I feel that he needs to focus on his political party, not ODM. How do you sell the party? We are all members. So if you sell ODM without its members agreeing, you know, I think he is not sure about the fact that we are broad supporters. We remain broad supporters. I think they thought that there would be a collapse of our broad relations,” Passaris commented.
Passaris stressed that ODM has clear long-term plans, including its position on the 2027 General Election, adding that Raila had already set the position before his death.
He said that during the last meeting of the party’s group of MPs, Raila made it clear that the party would nominate a presidential candidate, adding that there was a high possibility that he would endorse Ruto because of their cooperation.
Read ENGLISH VERSION
Do you have an exciting story that you would like us to publish? Please contact us via news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
