Africa-Press – Kenya. The Orange Democratic Movement on Thursday said they had received a deregistration request from the party for the MPs who visited State House on Tuesday. In a statement on Thursday, ODM party secretary general Edwin Sifuna said that mechanisms have been initiated for action.
“The office is in receipt of your letter whose contents we acknowledge. 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 said.
This is after Migori Senator Eddy Oketch wrote to the party to expel and deregister the nine lawmakers. In a letter addressed to the party’s secretary general and disciplinary committee, Oketch through his lawyer Gad Aguko claimed the MPs violated the party’s constitution.
“We act for Senator Eddy Oketch Migori county and a life member of ODM on whose instructions we address you as hereunder. 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 by the above mentioned Party Members,” the letter read.
The MPs include Senator Tom Ojienda, MPs Gideon Ochanda, Caroli Omondi, Elisha Odhiambo, Paul Abuor, Mark Nyamita and Phelix Odiwuor. Oketch argued that 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.
He said that by members associating themselves with President William Ruto—UDA party leader, they are deemed to have resigned from ODM. “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 ODM party members and its Party leadership at wide,” he said.
He gave the party secretary general seven days to expunge their names from the party membership list. The visit by the MPs drew mixed reactions from leaders across the country.
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