ODM Nominates Raila's Daughter To EALA

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has nominated Raila Odinga's daughter, Winnie Odinga to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

Also nominated include Mombasa businessman, Suleiman Shahbal, among six nominees named by the party on Wednesday, November 9.

"ODM Selection Committee, presided by the deputy party leader, Wycliffe Oparanya, met yesterday, Tuesday, November 8, and nominated the following to EALA. 

"Suleiman Shahbal (Mombasa), Mohammed Diriye (Wajir) Winnie Odinga (Nairobi), Timothy Bosire (Nyamira), Beatrice Askul (Turkana) and Justus Kizito (Kakamega)," ODM announced.

Winnie Odinga during a past address. /NAIROBI NEWS

The nominees will be presented to Parliament for vetting and approval on their suitability for the EALA slots before the joint Committee on the election of the EALA.

The major political parties in parliament will then nominate their respective nominees for the nine available slots for Kenya in the Arusha-based Assembly. 

Kenya has nine seats in the East African Legislative Assembly. Five of the nine will go to the Kenya Kwanza coalition while four will go to the Azimio la Umoja coalition, meaning the six nominated by ODM face intense competition from affiliate party members in the race to determine who will compose the final four to make it to the assembly.

Winnie had dismissed claims of being picked for the highly coveted role according to rumours that went rife on the same by noting that she had no intentions of sitting in the regional parliament, not even holding a public office.

She further claimed that the misinformation was ignited by a Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee whom she alleged was intimidated by her.

"You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful, otherwise, you will threaten the man.

"And then we do a much greater disservice to girls because we raise them to cater to the fragile egos of males. We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller," she stated.

Winne who was in charge of Communications and Operations during Odinga's campaign, has been blamed for her father's loss to President William Ruto in the August elections, despite sharing a list of the team behind the Azimio leader's presidential campaigns.

The East African Legislative Assembly is a sub-organ of the larger East African Community and is the legislative arm of the Community. Members are sworn into five-year terms.

Winnie Odinga, one of Raila Odinga's two daughters. /FILE