The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has threatened to deregister rebel Members of Parliament who visited president William Ruto early this week at State House, Nairobi has decided saying they have shifted allegiance from party that sponsored them to parliament.
ODM, a key affiliate party of the Azmio One Kenya coalition led by Raila Odinga who is also the Azimio has initiated process to expel and deregister the nine legislators.
Yesterday, in a letter addressed to the embattled legislators, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the disciplinary process has commenced in line with the party’s constitution.
“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,” Odinga said.
Those listed are Senator Tom Ojienda, MPs Gideon Ochanda, Caroli Omondi, Elisha Odhiambo, Paul Abuor, Mark Nyamita and Phelix Odiwuor.
As per the party constitution, a member may be deemed to have resigned from a political party if that person promotes the ideology, interests or policies of another political party.
The members have been faulted for associating themselves with President William Ruto and therefore they are deemed to have resigned from ODM.
Yesterday, during the Azmio Parliamentary Group meeting at Maanzoni Lodge in Machakos county, Raila was very categorical that MPs who have warmed up to President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Administration to resign.
According to Raila, the meeting where the opposition lawmakers from Jubilee and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) President Ruto in Statehouse was not sanctioned by Azimio.
“The people had not gone to ask the people who elected them whether they want to go to Kenya Kwanza,” he said.
“These members who have defected from Azimio need to resign from the positions and go,” Raila added during Azimio’s PG meeting.
The ODM leader scoffed at the explanation by the MPs who met President Ruto in search of unity and development for the constituents.