ODM row widens as Ababu Namwamba’s team demands elections within 45 days

Raila Odinga (centre) addressing the Press at Orange House in Nairobi early this month. He is flanked by party members Agnes Zani (left) and Ababu Namwamba among others. [Photo: File]

By James Mbaka

Kenya: A fresh battle looms in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after the faction allied to Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba reignited calls for fresh party elections within 45 days.

The fresh demand puts pressure on the Transitional Interim Executive Management Committee (TIEC), established by party leader Raila Odinga two weeks ago to spearhead the process of conducting snap elections.

The remarks came as The Standard learnt that TIEC faces legal challenges in the execution of its mandate given that it is not recognised by the party constitution, meaning that they could be in office illegally.

A senior member of the committee who declined to be named revealed that the law does not provide for the formation of an interim leadership for the party, and any party member could move to court to challenge the committee’s existence.

“If any voter who is a legitimate member of the party wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties or moved to court to challenge the current leadership, I will tell you for free that we will find ourselves on the wrong side of the law,” said the TIEC member.

Only Raila as the party leader is allowed to hold office until elections are held. Currently, the party is under the leadership of Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o, who is the acting party leader after Raila travelled to the US for one month mentorship and training programme.

The party could also face challenges in accessing money from accounts because party treasurer, Executive Director Magerer Lang’at and or secretary general must compulsorily sign cheques. Both Prof Nyong’o and Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno vacated office upon the botched elections.

The Standard established that a camp allied to Dr Agnes Zani was pushing for an overhaul of the delegates register with a possibility of conducting fresh grassroots elections to clean the list before national elections are held.

“We are aware that they want to commence fresh grassroots elections so that they can interfere with the delegates register or definitely bring on board new delegates to manipulate the process, but we will stand firm for we want elections in 45 days,” a member of the Namwamba team alleged.

The Ababu group says election of substantive national office bearers should be expedited to allow party members concentrate in harnessing synergy by building strong structures in readiness for the 2017 General Election.

The team, which brings together former aspirants for various positions in the February 28 botched party elections met on Wednesday night in a Nairobi hotel to take stock of the aftermath of the abortive process to pick national office bearers and plot on their way forward.

Among those who attended the meeting were governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) who is also the co-chair of the party albeit in an acting capacity, Josphat Nanok (Turkana) and their Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi alongside Senator Stewart Madzayo.

Others included MPs Simon Ogari (Bomachoge Chache), Parliament opposition chief whip Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi North), Abdullahi Diriye (Wajir South), Taita Taveta County MP Joyce Lay and Irshadali Sumra (Embakasi).

“We came here to take stock of where we have come from and reflect on the way forward to ensure that the elections that were unfortunately disrupted are concluded in the shortest time possible,” said Namwamba, who alongside Dr Zani are serving as the party’s joint secretaries in an interim capacity.

The team noted that although it was cognizant of the reality of the preparations that have to be made to realise fresh elections, it was imperative to conduct the exercise to remove the cloud that continues to hang over the party.

The group hinted that it will spearhead campaigns in upcoming parliamentary elections in Bonchari and Mathare constituencies.

The Court of Appeal ordered fresh elections after nullifying the election of TNA’s Gacheke Gachihi and John Oroo of Kanu as Mathare and Bonchari MPs respectively.

The Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC) will announce the election dates once the Speaker of the national assembly Justine Muturi receives writs to officially declare the seats vacant.