Suba South MP Caroli Omondi has revealed that he spent Sh700 million to fund the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party during the 2013 General Elections.
The MP also said that he withheld another donation of US$2 million (about Sh260 million) in the 2017 elections after the ODM party denied him a ticket to run for an MP seat.
He stated during an appearance on JKL at Citizen TV on Wednesday night that the money came in the form of cash and materials, including the purchase of 25 branded vehicles for campaigns.
“In 2013, I think I spent about Sh600-700 million of my money. I bought 25 vehicles, I gave T-shirts worth US$2 million (approx. Sh260 million today), I gave candidates more than Sh100 million, and I paid their agents Sh90 million. All those are documented,” Omondi said.
In 2022, the first-term MP, who is an advocate, revealed that he never spent any money on the late Raila Odinga-led party but had withheld an equivalent of Sh260 million in 2017 after the party settled on current Treasury CS John Mbadi.
During the fiasco, it was widely joked that Caroli, who was then the landlord of Orange House where ODM was headquartered, was up against his tenants—Mbadi, who was then ODM national chairman. In the end, the landlord lost the ticket even after he beat Mbadi in party primaries.
“In 2022, I didn’t give them any money. In 2017, I refused to give them money after they denied me the certificate, but I had US$2 million (about Sh260 million) for them,” he said.
At the time the MP says he spent the Sh700 million, he was the outgoing Chief of Staff in the late Raila’s Prime Minister’s office, where he had served since 2008.
The question of funding arose during a showdown between Omondi and Migori Senator Eddy Oketch when the source of funds for Linda Mwananchi rallies led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was raised.
The MP said leaders affiliated with the faction, including Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, raise funds among themselves to finance the rallies.
There have been questions about who is funding the activities of the ODM rebels, which have attracted huge rallies in Busia, Kitengela, and are now headed to Kakamega this weekend.
The ODM Linda Ground faction, led by party leader Oburu Oginga and a section of ruling UDA MPs, have accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of bankrolling the youthful team. Uhuru has never responded to the claims.
During the show, the MPs traded accusations on the source of funds for the Linda Ground group, with Oketch denying any state sponsorship.
“The Linda Ground movement is just a slogan, but it is something that is not new; it is the routine of what ODM has been doing. Every year, whether before elections or after elections, we have done what other parties have not been able to do, which is being able to be in touch with the people on the ground,” Senator Oketch argued.
However, Omondi repeated claims made by Sifuna and Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi days earlier, that the ODM party was being micromanaged from outside.
“External forces in charge of ODM make decisions, give them instructions; they facilitate them to do the job. When they were in Mombasa, the information I have is that during the first round of the meeting that suspended Sifuna, there was a stalemate… around mid-day he seemed to have survived, and I think they were given instructions to deliver, so I think there was another meeting in the afternoon,” Omondi claimed.
