Nine ODM MPs who met President Ruto to face disciplinary committee

Nine ODM MPs who met President Ruto to face disciplinary committee

President William Ruto, DP Rigathi Gachagua after a meeting with ODM MPs at State House, Nairobi, on February 7, 2023. PHOTO | PPS

A five-member Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Disciplinary Committee is in the process of compiling and issuing summons to nine members who held a closed door meeting with President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday at State House, Nairobi.

The ODM Disciplinary Committee includes Prof. Ben Sihanya, who is the Chairman, Florence Omosa (Secretary), and members Seth Kakusye, Mumbi Ng'aru, and Ramadhan Abubakar.

The summoned MPs will be served with the notices individually, and will be required to show cause why the party should not take action against them.

They are then required to physically appear before the disciplinary committee at a date to be decided later.

According to the committee's Head of Legal Affairs Tony Moturi, no specific timelines have been set, but members will be accorded reasonable time given the circumstances of the matter, and that rules of natural justice and due process will be applied.

The 5-member committee will then retreat to compile its report and submit its recommendation to the 42-member National Executive Committee (NEC) led by the party's National Chairman John Mbadi.

Party leader Raila Odinga and his two deputies, Wycliff Oparanya and Hassan Joho, are also members of NEC.

The NEC will then forward its findings to the National Governing Council, that includes the National Executive Council, ODM League, Youth League, county coordinating committee officials and the National Election Board.

ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, in a statement on Thursday, said: "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.”

Sifuna's response came after Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, through his attorney Gad Aguko, wrote to the Secretary General and the Disciplinary Committee Chairman claiming that the MPs violated the party's Constitution.

The letter read: “On February 7, the members of the party were treated to blatant and arrogant violation of the party's Constitution as read together with Section 14A (1) (e) of the Political Parties Act No. 11 of 2012 of the Laws of Kenya.”

If dissatisfied with the party's internal mechanisms, a member may seek intervention from the Political Parties Tribunal and further move to the High Court if still disgruntled.

Among the MPs who met President Ruto and DP Gachagua include: Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East, Independent) Felix Odiwuor alias Jalang’o (Lang’ata), Paul Abuor (Rongo), John Owino (Awendo) and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.

Following uproar from the ODM party members after the said State House meeting, Lang’ata MP Jalang’o was on Thursday kicked out of an Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition Parliamentary Group meeting at Maanzoni lodge in Machakos.

Speaking to the press after being kicked out, Jalang’o claimed that a member of Azimio leader Raila Odinga’s security asked him to leave the hall. 

“I feel bad. You know I love Baba… I am a member of ODM. I can’t regret meeting Ruto, I had gone there on my own capacity, and he called me for development issues,” Jalang’o explained. 

Asked whether he would apologise for taking a different direction from his party, the MP said; “There is no apology about it, I went there for development.”

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ODM Raila Odinga Jalang'o President William Ruto Disciplinary Committee

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