The long awaited Annual General Meeting of ODM-KS is over and an elected Committee has taken over the running of the Party. It was the biggest ODM-KS gathering in Stockholm since the Party was set up in October last year. Even the Interim officials who called the meeting were surprised at the large turn-out of members whom, interestingly, have been following events within the Party in the Internet.
Between 14.00-15.00, members were mainly arriving at Wananchi Pavilion, checking their membership status, exchanging banter with other members and going through written material that had been prepared for the meeting. These included the Annual General Report and Agenda for the meeting. Copies of ODM-KS Constitution together with Ballot papers were also available. Two members who had not sorted out their membership fees and who could not do so at the meeting were informed that they would not be able to vote.
The agenda of the meeting was followed to the letter. After different proposals, Mr. Paul Njenga was settled upon by members to Chair the meeting while Mr. Makan Macharia and Mr. Antony Odera were given the responsibility of “minute verifiers also responsible for vote counting”. Mr. Njenga did a fantastic job, sticking to the Agenda and ensuring that contributors limited themselves to items which were relevant.
Mr. Njenga took time to elongate on aspects of the Agenda from time to time whenever members needed serious guidance. When a member appeared to have been in a state of circumlocution, he intervened immediately to keep the meeting on track.
As the Agenda moved on, the Annual General Report was presented by the Secretary. The presentation of the Report took almost half an hour. Members who had questions on the Report were welcomed to raise them. Interestingly, members were so informed about the crisis that had been masterminded by three Committee members that the major issue at the meeting appeared to have been a solution rather than a microscopic observation of the crisis.
The Annual General Report covered a variety of topics namely: The setting up of ODM-KS in October last year, the writing of the Party’s Constitution, the mandate that was given to the Committee, the gathering of Committee members, resignations within the Committee, ODM-KS Office in Stockholm, ODM-KS website, Grabbed land at the Ambassador’s residence and its recovery by ODM-KS, the case of Mr. Paul Njenga who was sacked as Gardener at the residence of the Kenyan Ambassador, ODM-KS Finances, the Korogocho Project that was started by ODM-KS members and its current status, contacts between ODM-KS and ODM-Kenya, the position of ODM-KS in relation to ODM-Kenya, problems in the Committee, Constitutional violations by three Committee members, re-distribution of responsibilities within the Committee and circumstances that surrounded this action. The Committee also made specific recommendations to members. The report was then discussed in detail before it was adopted.
On the question of Finance, the Committee delivered a Report based on the time when the new Treasurer took over Office until the 19th of May 2007. This was because the former Treasurer Ms Sofia Njoroge had failed to attend Committee meetings that were called to plan the AGM. At the time of writing the ODM-KS Report, the Party had a total of 3.800 kr under the custody of the new Treasury. This is cash that was mainly raised through registration of new members since May 4th. The amount shot to 4.600 kr when some members updated their membership just before the meeting. Among these members were Mrs Hulda Palm and Mrs Monica Otieno.
The meeting resolved that the outgoing Treasury would not be relieved from responsibility until the former Treasurer delivered a comprehensive Financial Report to the newly elected Committee. The Committee was instructed to call a member’s meeting and report on progress regarding the financial accountability by the former Treasurer.
The Committee was given the mandate by members to take “any action possible” to ensure that money that was raised by members during the formative stages of ODM-KS was properly accounted for before the issue of ODM-KS finances during the tenure of the Interim committee could be closed. The Committee was relieved from responsibilities on other matters and this paved the way for elections.
A curious point is that there was no opposition by members about the nomination of Hon Raila Odinga by ODM-KS as the candidate who would face President Kibaki in the coming December elections. This was a major issue that was used by three renegade Committee members to try and manufacture a crisis within the Party.
ODMK-KS ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES INCREASED
Out of registered paid up membership of 68, a total of 35 turned up to cast their votes while 6 voted by proxy bringing the total number of votes cast to 41. Voting by proxy is allowed within the Party as long as those voting by proxy do not exceed those present at the AGM. According to the rules, those voting by proxy have to inform the leadership in advance so that they can be sent ballot papers together with the list of members vying for seats.
The Constitution states that for decisions at the AGM to be valid, 51% of members have to be physically present to constitute a quorum, a requirement that was met at the meeting. With a registered paid up membership of 68, ODM-KS is now the biggest Kenyan political Party in Scandinavia. Within Scandinavia, members from Finland and Denmark were represented. Members agreed that work to set up the Party branch in Norway would be intensified.
As per the Constitution, voting was by secret ballot. The result of the polls was announced by Mr. Antony Odera who took almost an hour to count the votes together with Mr. Makan Macharia. During vote counting, members relaxed with soft drinks and took the opportunity to chat with one another.
The following members were elected to sit in ODM-KS Committee: Mr. Martin Ngatia, 40 votes, Mrs Hellen Opwapo, 39 votes, Mr. Okoth Osewe, 39 votes, Mrs Grace Nyambura, 39 votes, Mr. Charles Otieno Owiyo, 36 votes, Ms Caroline Ayodo, 35 votes, Mr. Waweru Nderi, 35 votes and Mrs. Nancy Osumba 21 votes.
After the announcement of the poll results, a thunderous applause filled Wananchi Pavilion as members congratulated the new Committee. As per the Constitution, the Committee was given the task of distributing responsibilities among itself as soon as possible and to begin work within the Party ahead of elections in Kenya next year.
A major decision that was taken at the meeting was that the Annual membership fees was increased by members from 100 kr to 200 kr with a 50 kr monthly membership fees. Mr. Mike Osumba, a Kenyan elder, led debate on the fee issue. He told members that if Party members were serious enough, the annual membership fees of 100 kr “was too little”.
He said that the Party was running an Office without funds from anywhere and warned members that the Party was likely to be affected if ways of fund raising could not be improved. Members agreed and after further discussions, adjustments were made on the membership fees. Mr. Osumba, who received huge support from members, said that ODM-KS should be ready to venture into business to raise cash, arguing that this was legal in Sweden as long as the Party was paying taxes.
The meeting agreed that in future, members would be updated about Party activities via snail mail as well as other channels. The main observation was that not every member could follow events online. Members who had not left their physical addresses did so to enable the Committee to get in touch with them during times of need. Others left emails so that the Party could build a mailing list through which members could communicate. The atmosphere at the Pavilion was that of brotherhood and sisterhood with many members expressing sentiments based on building the Party ahead of elections in Kenya as opposed to personal antagonism that had been witnessed at the Party ahead of the AGM.
After the meeting, members were treated to food and entertainment, a section of the Agenda which stretched well into the night.
As celebrations continued, Mr. Daniel Mwaura, Chairperson of Narc-KS, arrived with an entourage of Narc-KS members to wish ODM-KS well following their inaugural elections. He congratulated the new ODM-KS Committee and hoped that the wishes of ODM-KS members would be respected by all concerned.
Mr. Mwaura was well received at the function and his presence was seen by members as a sign that Narc-KS was serious in living “side by side” with ODM-KS in the interest of a wider unity among Kenyans in Stockholm despite political differences. It was a clear signal that Kenyan political parties in Scandinavia are getting mature as opposed to the situation in Kenya where ODM-Kenya and Narc-Kenya do not see eye to eye.
The Party ended well but as the guests were moving out into the streets after the Pavilion was closed, disaster struck. Two Wakenya entered into a scuffle and a fight broke out. One Mkenya ended up in hospital while the attacker, who had gate-crushed at the ODM-KS reception, is currently being hunted by police.
Okoth Osewe
Picture caption: Tonny Odera announces ODM-KS election results carrying a bundle of ballot papers.
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