The ODM National Executive Council has endorsed the suspension of two lawmakers from branch party positions.
Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda, the ODM Bondo branch secretary, was last month dropped from the role on allegations of gross misconduct, and his place was taken by East Yimbo MCA, Francis Otiato.
His Gem counterpart Elisha Odhiambo, who was representing the special interests group in the ODM Gem Constituency branch, also lost his position to Mr Osadho Odinga, an ODM life member from the constituency.
In letters addressed to the regional party chairs, ODM National Executive Director, Oduor Ongwen, asked the new officials to serve in the respective positions on an interim basis.
“We acknowledge receipt of the letters and resolutions of the Gem and Bondo Branch Executive Committee meetings. The National Secretariat has since forwarded the recommendations contained to the Party's National Elections Board (NEB) for processing,” letters addressed to the party branch chairmen, Mr Nick Ochola (Gem) and Dr Oburu Oginga (Siaya), reads in part.
The letter further read, “For the time being, the officials elected to serve in the various capacities of the branch office should, in the interim proceed to act and discharge the mandate of the said offices pending the adoption and confirmation of the same by the National Elections Board.”
The lawmakers were suspended on grounds of being disloyal to the party that sponsored them to parliament.
Siaya Senator Dr Oburu earlier castigated the two, who were in the group of ODM MPs who visited the State House last month, saying they were backstabbing Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader, Raila Odinga.
“It is sad that the legislator from Mr Odinga’s home constituency is leading the team that is backstabbing him. This is what we call unbecoming conduct by an elected leader and the ODM party will not allow that,” said Dr Oburu.
The Senator also rubbished claims that the nine Azimio ‘rebel’ MPs had gone to make a follow-up on the promises that President William Ruto made to the people of Nyanza when he visited the region.
“Dr Ruto visited Nyanza a few weeks ago and made all those promises. Even if he was a super implementer of projects, can he deliver within weeks? Let the lawmakers tell the people what took them to the State House. They should stop pretending that they went to follow up on development and tell people what took them there,” he added.
Whenthe Nation reached out to Mr Odhiambo over the letter from the ODM Executive Director, he said he would not comment over it.
“For now, I have no comment. Thank you,” he said as he dropped the call.
Dr Ochanda, however, neither answered calls nor responded to our text messages.
Other than Dr Ochanda and Mr Odhiambo, the other lawmakers who have since been branded traitors in Azimio include MPs Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Walter Owino (Awendo), Felix Odiwuor (Langata), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East), Paul Abuor (Rongo), and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.
