The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) top leadership has waded into the ongoing wrangles in Nairobi County by summoning its MCAs who were involved in chaos that has rocked the city assembly.
This comes after ODM chairman John Mbadi summoned 12 of the party’s MCAs to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for their involvement in the ongoing supremacy battles.
The county legislators have been accused of going against the party’s position over a number of issues at the assembly by supporting positions that ODM has not approved of.
Those who have been summoned include Nairobi West MCA Maurice Gari, Utalii MCA Wilson Ochola, Viwandani MCA David Mbithi, Laini Saba MCA Cecilia Ayot, Mathare MCA Jared Okode, Ngei MCA Redson Otieno, Lower Savannah MCA Nicholas Okumu, Huruma MCA David Okello, nominated MCAs Caroline Mayunzu, Hafsa Khalif, Millicent Okatch and Hajj Nimo.
The August 4, 2020 letters followed complaints raised to the party’s top leadership by its whip at the county assembly Peter Imwatok on July 24, 2020 immediately after the return of embattled Nairobi County Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele.
Interestingly, a majority of the MCAs have appended their signatures to the impeachment motion against Speaker Beatrice Elachi. They are also opposed to the recent appointment of Edward Gichana as the assembly’s new clerk.
“Whereas the party has directed minority leadership to ensure the process was done in keeping with the ideals of fairness, justice and meritocracy, you actively participated towards defeating this position,” read the letter addressed separately to each of the MCAs.
The MCAs now face disciplinary hearing for openly defying the party’s directive, contravening its constitution, code of conduct, regulations and the law.
“By this letter, you are hereby summoned to appear before the party’s disciplinary organ sitting at the party’s headquarters at Chungwa House on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 9am to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against you,” the letter to the MCAs said.
However, ODM Nairobi County chairman and Makadara MP George Aladwa dismissed the summons, asking the MCAs to disregard the letters until such a time when relevant party organs at the branch level have exhausted the matter.
He said he has received complaints from the MCAs over the conduct of Mr Imwatok whom they said is “a bully and is disrespectful”.
"We are asking Mbadi to cancel the irregular summons lest the county officials and delegates storm the meeting," said Mr Aladwa.
"As party county chairman, we will not be party to an emerging cartel in the city with the sole purpose of using our party leader's name and that of NMS to advance personal interests," he added.
Dandora Area 4 MCA Francis Ngesa said the summons are just witch hunt because of the ward reps’ stand on the impeachment of Speaker Elachi and also their opposition to the appointment of Edward Gichana as the new assembly clerk.
“I was also one of those who opposed recruitment of Mr Gichana with very clear grounds for my opposition. They are forcing Gichana on us. So this is just pure witch hunt,” said Mr Ngesa.
Nevertheless, Mr Mbadi defended the summons saying that disciplinary matters are handled by the chairman as per the party’s constitution.
“Even the secretary-general reports such cases to the chairman. That is what I have been doing all these years. I am the only one authorised to issue show cause letters and refer the cases to the disciplinary committee. That is not the first one because there are others I had signed earlier not just to Nairobi but to Bungoma and even Nyamira,” he said.
On his part, Mr Imwatok said the letters are confidential in nature and should not have been in the public domain.
“Those letters ought to be confidential. Who has circulated them?” posed the Makongeni MCA before disconnecting the call.
