Henry Kosgey recounted a dramatic chapter of Kenyan politics, revealing how internal party struggles almost derailed ODM’s campaign just three months before the 2007 elections.
Speaking at the ODM Founders Dinner in Mombasa, Kosgey described the moment when key figures, including Dan Maanzo and late Mutula, ran away with the party certificate, leaving his team scrambling and party-less.
“We were party-less. We were all nearby without any party. They had run away with the party,” Kosgey said, capturing the confusion and urgency that gripped his team.
With the elections looming, they debated registering new formations like ODM Asili or reviving what they called “original ODM.” Meetings were held at PanAfric Hotel and later at a restaurant along Lenana Road as they tried to salvage their position and make sense of the chaos.
The late Raila played a crucial role in steering the discussions. Kosgey recalled, “One day when we were still talking, there was a restaurant… he said, ‘Kumbe he had actually decided to approach Imanyara and asked him, well, ask what you want. The rest you can conclude. So Raila told us, we have the party, we have the ODM now. So, ah hallelujah.”
That moment allowed the team to regain access to the party structure and resume campaigning under ODM, just in time for one of the most heated elections in Kenya’s history.
Kosgey also spoke about the difficulty of explaining party principles to the public. Misunderstandings over majimbo were widespread. “Everybody thought majimbo meant, you know, some ethnic occupation. We wanted majimbo. But our brothers thought majimbo means being expelled from an area,” he said.
He added that Rosemary Odinga later suggested the alternative term ugatuzi, reflecting the party’s goal of devolved governance.
The tense post-election period was even more dramatic. Kosgey recalled, “We were beaten. President (Ruto) and, and I, we were still arguing with Kivuitu about 6 oclock. Then the police came and clobbered us, beaten us, beaten us.”
He said they watched the swearing-in from a house near Hurlingham just before the country erupted into post-election violence. Later, he and others were forced to travel abroad to face charges he described as unjust.
Kosgey closed his remarks with a powerful call for unity. “We want a united nation. We want a prosperous country, and we can only do that if we remain united,” he said, urging leaders to focus on cohesion and fairness as the foundation for Kenya’s future.
The story of Manzo and Mutula’s dramatic move and the scramble that followed is a stark reminder of how fragile political systems can be and how quickly fortunes can change in the run-up to an election. For Kosgey, the experience was both a trial and a testament to resilience, strategy, and the importance of standing firm when the stakes are highest.
