Why ODM's Omanyo has broken the rules of power

Power is grabbed, not given. It might sound like one of those casual political lines, but it’s the stark reality of how this weird world is wired.

Pundits say the presidency eluded the late Raila Odinga because he never embraced the philosophy of power. For putting his faith rigidly in constitutionalism, he left empty-handed. But then, power and opportunity are constant. What matters is who steps forward to claim them. I recall a moment during my days at ‘Sunday Standard’ when my editor, Enoch Wambua, took a month-long leave.

As a deputy chief sub-editor, careful not to outshine the boss, I stuck to my brief and ignored his tasks. When he returned to an overflowing in-tray, he demanded an explanation. Before I answered, he dropped a bombshell. “Whenever an opportunity to prove your ability arises, grab it.”

Today, Mr Wambua sits in the Senate. While politics has elevated him far beyond my social and professional orbit, his advice on the ultimate ‘laws of power’ remains a lodestar in how I perceive life. It also informs my precise reading of the current situation in Mr Odinga’s troubled ODM.

Acting Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo is struggling. She is under pressure to prove her worth. Madam SG is yet to rise to the demands of the moment. A big question is whether the late Odinga himself would have considered her fit for the acting role.

When the ‘Hon me’ was tapped to replace Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, it was believed the Busia Woman Representative had grasped the weight of the job. Since February, she has navigated a turbulent initiation, including organising a pivotal delegates’ convention on March 27, even as a dispute filed by Mr Sifuna lingered before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal.

On Monday, she successfully helped put together a youth convention in Nairobi during which party leader Oburu Oginga and chairperson Gladys Wanga rallied young people to register to vote. On Thursday, she was noticeably bubbly among party chiefs visiting the State House for ODM-UDA coalition talks.

To her credit, the Acting SG is generally unfazed by political missiles, which is cool. However, she comes across more as a ceremonial SG comfortable at ribbon-cutting than at the hard edge of real power. Yet being an SG of a behemoth like ODM demands nerve and grit, not mere loyalty to party leadership. This isn’t to suggest that Ms Omanyo can’t acquire these leadership traits.

A party official without an ‘activist instinct’ is a lame duck. A telling moment was on April 16 when she read a statement on emerging rifts with UDA. The SG’s delivery undercut the message. As communications strategists like my friend Phillip Etale will attest, the messenger must match the message.

An SG who struggles with words turns a serious moment into a spectacle. Contrast Ms Omanyo’s press briefings with those of UDA’s Hassan Omar or Azimio’s Caroli Omondi, which project clarity and authenticity, and the difference is like day and night.

History offers a higher threshold, perhaps only comparable to Mr Sifuna’s tenure. Past SGs like Raphael Tuju and Jeremiah Kioni in Jubilee, and Anyang’ Nyong’o and Ababu Namwamba in ODM, combined bravery, eloquence and consistency to leave a lasting imprint.

The Busia Woman County MP needs moral support to outdo past SGs, not be a caricature of the role. Through sharper messaging, greater command of presence, or even ‘shouting’ from car rooftops, she must convince the ODM’s base that she belongs at the helm.

Ms Omanyo claims she was ‘idle’ during Mr Sifuna’s days at Chungwa House. What stopped her from asserting herself? Is it any better now? Politics, unlike the corporate world, doesn’t offer neat transitions or clearly packaged chances. It’s precisely in moments of quandary like ODM’s current situation that leaders define themselves.

With President William Ruto now a key factor in ODM’s outlook, the party’s future is indeed secure beyond 2027. But that very future depends on execution. The endurance of Baba’s party will depend on how Ms Omanyo and the top brass execute their roles.

-The writer is a communications practitioner. X:@markoloo