ODM will never form coalitions with small parties from Nyanza – Opiyo Wandayi
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has ruled out the possibility of forging a coalition agreement with smaller political parties from Nyanza.
ODM's Director of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi said that the party would not enter a coalition with other parties from Nyanza but is ready to welcome their leaders into their side.
Wandayi said aspirants from the smaller parties were free to join ODM and compete for its ticket. According to him, the move will strengthen ODM leader Raila Odinga's grassroots support in Nyanza ahead of the 2022 General Elections.
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The move has also been regarded as one that would set the ground for ODM to push for a return of the six-piece voting pattern in Raila's political stronghold.
“There is no day ODM will get into a coalition with any small party at the grassroots in Nyanza. If these aspirants refuse to return to ODM to compete fairly, then they must be ready for defeat in the next election,” Wandayi said as reported by a local publication.
Though ODM is reluctant to form a coalition with parties from Nyanza, it has opened door to forge a coalition with parties from other regions.
In the last few months, ODM has shown interest to form alliances with other political parties including Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper Party, Moses Wetang'ula's Ford Kenya and Musalia Mudavadi's Amani National Congress among others ahead of the 2022 polls.
Though ODM is reluctant to form an alliance with other parties from Nyanza, leaders of those parties have protested the move. They have maintained they will not fold their parties and will not be deterred from supporting Raila's presidential bid.
The leaders including Former Ndhiwa MP Augustino Neto of the United Green Movement and Booker Omole of the Communist Party of Kenya claimed that the move to clock them out from alliance with ODM was being driven by selfish interests of Raila's close allies.
