The Kisii County Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) co-ordinating committee has suspended Deputy Governor Joash Maangi as the party's branch organising secretary.
Speaking to the media, the committee's interim secretary and Youth League leader Eric Janganya said the deputy governor had flouted the Constitution of Kenya, the Political Parties Act, 2011 and the ODM party constitution by associating with rival Jubilee Party.
Mr Janganya said the deputy governor had failed to defend and promote ODM policies and instead was openly dealing with the Jubilee coalition and promoting its ideals.
This came after Mr Maangi led a delegation from Nyamira and Kisii counties to Deputy President William Ruto's rural home in Eldoret, five days ago.
The suspension, according to the statement, also applies to Assembly Speaker Kerosi Ondieki, who is also the party's vice chairman. He was part of the Eldoret delegation.
Maangi defended the move, saying nothing political was discussed in the meeting.
"We went there to engage with the Government through the Deputy President on matters development," he said.
He added: "The initial request to visit Ruto's home was done by the assembly members. We visited his home as political leaders and friends to the Deputy President. All leaders were invited and every MP was to select 100 people from his constituency."
But Janganya maintained Maangi remained suspended and the branch officials will soon send a report to party's disciplinary committee to deliberate on the matter.
"If he and his other accomplices want to decamp to Jubilee; they should do so fully aware of the provisions of the Political Parties Act," Janganya said.
According to Maangi, the party was aware that he was to be away on the day the party held a county meeting chaired by Senator Chris Obure who is also the party chairman.
Despite all these, ODM maintained that the Eldoret meeting was merely a political grandstanding devoid of any meaningful development agenda.
"This is a plot by Maangi and his accomplices to gain materially from the Jubilee coalition while lying to them that they can deliver the Gusii vote in the forthcoming general election, and an attempt to undermine the gains made by devolution and the 2010 constitution," said Janganya.
Maangi had dared the party to suspend him over his visit to the deputy president's home.
