Kisii County Governor and ODM party Deputy leader Simba Arati has reaffirmed his position as second in command within the Orange Democratic Movement, dismissing concerns about internal party wrangles.
Speaking on Thursday, January 29, Arati sought to reassure party supporters that ODM remains united despite visible signs of discontent among some members.
"As the deputy party leader in ODM, I want to assure you that our party has no issues. Those young people you see talking anyhow among the party, allow them, we did the same when we were younger," Arati stated.
The governor went on to establish his credentials within the party hierarchy, citing a past incident that highlighted his political journey within ODM.
"I tried to overthrow the late former leader, Raila Odinga, at Kasarani one time. So I am the second in command in ODM," he declared.
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Arati emphasized that the party's focus has shifted toward development and collaboration with the government ahead of upcoming elections.
"For the upcoming elections, we have decided to choose development. All the talking with no action is not helping," he said.
The Kisii governor also addressed citizens' concerns about the party's current political alignment, assuring them of the benefits of working with the government.
"Citizens, don't be worried. We will make sure we work with the government so we can ensure development comes to us," Arati noted.
This comes a few days after Arati publicly explained the party's decision to appoint Oburu Odinga as party leader following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
During an ODM grassroots meeting in Ogembo on Sunday, January 25, the Kisii governor revealed that while he was positioned to assume party leadership as deputy, he chose to propose Oburu instead, believing this arrangement would better position ODM to capture power.
The decision has sparked debate within the party, with some members, including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, questioning why the National Delegates Convention was not convened to elect new leadership. Winnie Odinga also raised similar concerns about the speed of the appointment.
The internal tensions were evident when several key party figures, including Babu Owino, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, and Siaya Governor James Orengo, skipped the recent Kisii meeting and instead attended events in Nairobi.
Despite acknowledging existing disagreements, Arati has maintained that ODM will stabilize under Oburu's leadership as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
