'Men in black' storm ODM Appeals Tribunal meeting

ODM National Elections Board Chairperson Judith Pareno (center) addressing the media at Orange house

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Appeals Tribunal has adjourned its sittings until further notice.

Willis Otieno, the tribunal's chairperson, adjourned the sitting indefinitely, expressing fears for the safety of members.

This was after a group of men clad in black suits stormed Marsh Park Hotel in Nairobi, where the team was holding its sittings, and disrupted the session.

"We fear for our lives. We are doing our best to resolve the problems that have arisen from the nominations. But we were attacked and had to be evacuated to safety," Otieno said.

The tribunal is working to resolve hundreds of nomination appeals lodged by members emanating from tightly contested party primaries held between April 13 and 30.

The men showed up at the Marsh Hotel and beat up some politicians who had been called to listen to the tribunal's rulings.

Ochieng Daima and Vincent Kodera, who had attended the session, were beaten up together with their lawyer, Martin Onyango.

The two are aspirants in Nyakach, Kisumu County, and are challenging the victory of area MP Aduma Awuor.The assault left Mr Kodera and his lawyer bleeding from the nose and mouth.

ODM has had chaotic primaries over the past two weeks marked by violence, rigging claims, and provisional results cancelled by the party's National Elections Board.