Jumwa fate lies with parties registrar as ODM cracks whip

ODM Leader Raila Odinga, Deputy Party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya and Secretary General Edwin Sifuna during the party’s National Governing Council meeting at Co-operative University College of Kenya yesterday. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa is on the verge of losing her seat after being expelled from Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Jumwa also stands to lose privileges she enjoys as a member of the Parliamentary Service Commission where she enjoys several perks as a commissioner including a hefty salary, a car and extra security.

ODM’s National Governing Council yesterday unanimously ratified the party’s disciplinary committee findings that showed Jumwa as a disloyal party member.

Jumwa was accused of openly showing disrespect to the party leader and insinuating that she had decamped from the party and aligned herself with Deputy President William Ruto.

Jumwa’s co-accused, Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori has, however, survived the chop after offering an apology. But his woes will continue for a little longer since the party will within 60 days meet to decide on his future in ODM.

“A special National Governing Council meeting in which Suleiman Dori will appear to present his case following his letter of apology will be held within the next 60 days,” said ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

Sifuna also said ODM will immediately write to the Registrar of Political parties asking for Jumwa’s name to be expunged from the list of party members.

The National Governing Council is composed of the National Executive Council, ODM league, Youth League, county coordinating committee officials and the National Election Board.

Handshake

NEC last month unanimously endorsed the stripping of membership for the two MPs whose woes are linked to the 2022 succession politics.

A defiant Jumwa has repeatedly defended herself claiming that under the March 9 handshake, there were no political adversaries and the party lines had been blurred and therefore she was free to work with any politician in the country.

“If Raila is working with Uhuru Kenyatta and both are in different parties, what is wrong with me working with Ruto, we are cascading the handshake downwards,” she said when she faced a task force formed to investigate the two MPs.

Last month after the NEC appearance, Jumwa and Dori fingered Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho also the deputy party leader for their tribulations. Ms Jumwa and Mr Dori claimed that Mr Joho was using his position as the deputy party leader to settle political scores and undermine those opposed to his style of leadership. Dori said they would remain members of ODM, adding that they did not have a problem with Raila and the party.

“We are still members of the party and MPs until 2022.” Once the Registrar of Political Parties receives the letter from ODM, she will evaluate if ODMfollowed the procedure in Jumwa’s ouster before striking off her name from the list of ODM members.

Once that the RPP purges her name from the party then the process of her seat declared vacant by the speaker will follow suit.