City lawyer Willis Otieno has launched a scathing attack on National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, dismissing the CS’s claims of “political conmen” within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) as a desperate attempt to sanitize his own defection to the government.

The exchange marks a new high in the battle for the soul of the opposition party, pitting those who joined President William Ruto’s broad-based government against those who remained in the trenches.

The 'Auction' Accusation

The war of words erupted after Mbadi, speaking at a function in Suba over the weekend, alleged that a faction of ODM leaders was plotting to “auction” the party to former President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Treasury CS, who has become a staunch defender of the current administration, warned that these “political conmen” were misleading supporters to destabilize the government ahead of 2027.

“We know them. They are walking around claiming to be the holy ones, yet they are busy negotiating to sell the party to the highest bidder,” Mbadi charged, urging Nyanza residents to ignore the detractors and support the government’s development agenda.

But Otieno, known for his fiery legal and political rhetoric, wasted no time in firing back. Speaking in Nairobi on Monday, he termed Mbadi’s sentiments as “ironic and tragic.”

“You Sold the Soul, Not the Party”

Otieno argued that if anyone had conducted an auction, it was the cohort of ODM officials who took up Cabinet positions, effectively leaving the opposition rudderless.

“It is rich for John Mbadi to talk about auctioning the party when he is the one sitting in a government office that was secured by trading the people’s mandate for a flag,” Otieno said. “Who is the real conman? The one standing with the hungry Kenyans, or the one taxing them to death while singing praises to the regime we campaigned against?”

• The Core Conflict: Mbadi insists cooperation with Ruto brings development; Otieno argues it is a betrayal of the electorate.
• The Economic Angle: Otieno linked Mbadi’s political stance to the Treasury’s aggressive tax policies, which have kept the cost of living high.
• The 2027 Factor: Mbadi claims the 2027 race is “concluded,” a statement Otieno dismisses as “defeatist and arrogant.”

The Kenyan Lens: Politics vs. Pockets

For the average Kenyan, this political theater offers little relief. While the political elite trade barbs over who owns the party, the cost of basic goods remains a biting reality. The shilling, currently trading at roughly KES 132 against the dollar, has stabilized but has not translated to cheaper unga or fuel for households in estates like Kayole or Kibra.

Analysts warn that the infighting within ODM serves as a distraction. “When the Treasury CS spends his energy fighting party wars instead of explaining fiscal policy, the mwananchi loses,” notes political analyst Mark Bichachi. “We need to hear about debt management, not who is selling ODM to whom.”

As the dust settles, the rift between the 'Government ODM' and 'Opposition ODM' seems to be widening, with Otieno signaling that the fight for the party’s identity is far from over.

“They can keep the offices and the flags,” Otieno concluded. “But they cannot keep the people. The people know who sold them out.”