Migori Senator Eddy Oketch has written a letter to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to expel ‘rebel’ lawmakers who recently held a meeting with President William Ruto at State House Nairobi.
Mr Oketch, through Aguko, Osman and Company Advocates, listed the seven MPs who recently held a meeting with President Ruto.
He wants the party to expel MPs Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Caroli Omondi (Suba South).
Others are Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East, Independent,) Felix Odiwuor alias Jalang’o (Lang’ata), Paul Abuor (Rongo), John Owino (Awendo) and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.
“On February 7, 2023, the members of the ODM party were treated to blatant and arrogant violations of the party constitution as read together with Section 14A (1) (e) of the Political Parties Act No. 11 of 2012 of the Laws of Kenya by the above mentioned party members,” part of the demand letter read.
In the letter he said that the provisions are very clear that a person who, while being a member of a political party shall be deemed to have resigned from that party if that person promotes the ideology, interests or policies of another political party.
He said that since that day when the lawmakers visited the State House, they had started working closely with a different political party and there was no need for them to be considered as members of the opposition party.
“It suffices to say that their actions do not only fly on the face of the entire legal framework governing political parties’ membership but have also caused immense embarrassment, ridicule, anxiety and disgust amongst the members of the ODM Party and its leadership at large,” said the senator in the letter.
He gave the office of the Secretary General of ODM to ensure that he goes ahead and suspend the members in seven days if they will not voluntarily resign from the party.
“Our client’s further humble prayer is that pending the decision, action and/or grant of the two aforementioned prayers, the said individuals be forthwith de-whipped and/or recalled by the Party from all parliamentary leadership positions and committees that they are serving in having been enabled as such by their membership in the Orange Democratic Movement Party whose ideologies they no longer subscribe to,” he said.
In its response the ODM party said that it had received the letter and that already “internal mechanisms have been initiated with a view of processing it for action by the relevant party organs in accordance with the Party Constitution and any other relevant law.”
