A few months before the disputed 2007 general elections, a few top political figures met and hatched a plan to stop opposition leader Raila Odinga, then a presidential front runner from realizing his bid.
The team of six men and two women led by then just an MP President Uhuru Kenyatta and then ODM-Kenya party leader Kalonzo Musyoka met at Uhuru’s Chancery Building private offices for deliberations, according to former MP Joe Khamisi who was also present.
The July, 4, 2007 meeting also included Dalmas Otieno who would then join Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to win the Rongo seat, all with one plan, to stop Odinga.
The others were former MPs Nyiva Mwendwa, David Musila, Madsen Madoka and Taita lawmaker Naomi Shaaban.
Otieno, then a staunch supporter of the independence party KANU and an advisor of retired President Daniel Moi was among the ones who advocated for the formation of a Thirdforce to counter Raila’s apparently strong ODM and isolate him.
"Dalmas Otieno, a dashingly tall individual, and the only person from Raila’s Luo Nyanza present, joined his colleagues in supporting the idea of a Third Force," said Khamisi in his article published by the Nation.
"A long-standing Kanu loyalist and an intense thinker, Otieno was one of Moi’s top advisers, who had his own strong views about the domination of Nyanza politics by the Odinga clan," he added.
Apparently having ambitions of leading the Luo region some day, Otieno was ready to go to any extent to stop Raila’s elevation to power.
“People identify with him because of the sacrifices he made for this country, but that notwithstanding, a properly coordinated grouping should be able to turn tables against him.” Joe quotes him as having told the team.
He was also the only Luo in the meeting.This was supported by both Uhuru and Kalonzo, with Musyoka even promising to bring on board his Ukambani backyard leaders to back the move.
Uhuru who was bitter with Raila over his ‘Kibaki Tosha’ campaign that had spoiled his presidential bid was ready for anything that would stop the veteran leader from ascending to the Presidency, saying that he would victimize everyone once in power.
“Can you imagine what Raila will do to all of us? He will step all over the rest of us after he becomes president. We should not allow that to happen,’’ Khamisi said as is quoted by a Daily Nation publication dated April 2011.
The plan would then work when Raila suspiciously lost to sitting President Mwai Kibaki, with Kalonzo and Uhuru ending up as Vice President and co-Deputy Prime Minister in a forced power sharing.
Otieno would then go ahead to win the Rongo seat, but fall out with the former Prime Minister when he lost in the previous 2017 elections, and has since been nominated into the Salaries and Renumeration Commission by President Kenyatta.
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