Setback for ODM as 12 nominations revoked

Members of Migori county assembly at a past siting in November 2017 [Caleb King'wara | Standard]

Twelve ODM nominated Members of the Migori County Assembly have lost their jobs after a magistrate's court nullified their nomination.

Only one of the 13 nominated MCAs survived the sack in a court ruling that has dealt a devastating blow to the Orange party.

Rongo Magistrate Raymond Langat ruled that ODM did not follow the Constitution when it nominated the 13 MCAs.

Some of the MCAs, who were in court during the judgment yesterday, fought back tears as the ruling means their names will have to be struck off the assembly's pay roll.

Some of them, who had  taken car loans and mortgages, will have to dig deeper into their pockets top repay the loans.

The petition was filed by nine voters in Migori County who accused ODM of gazetting the names of the nominees without following the procedures.

The petitioners wanted the party to harmonise its list of nominees, some of which they said were picked without following due diligence.

Langat said, in his judgment, that ODM did not honour the directive given by the Political Parties’ Tribunal that directed the party to harmonise the nomination list before submitting it to the IEBC. 

“The magistrate court has no power to overturn the decision of the Political Parties’ Tribunal which nullified the list and ordered for the harmonised one,” said Langat 

Only Philister Atieno, who was nominated under disability category, survived.

Those whose nomination was revoked include Millicent Akinyi, Agnes Mogesi, Florence Adongo, Lilina Anyango, Asenta Adhiambo, Rosline Adhiambo, Florence Abich Oile, Hallima Omar, Hellen Moraa, Hellen Atieno, Christine  Atieno and Mourine Dande.

Their lawyer Christopher Ojwang said during a Press briefing outside the courtroom after the judgement that he would appeal against the decision.

“I will contact my clients over the possibility of lodging an appeal as they were not aware of the decision by the Political Parties Tribunal over the nomination,” said Ojwang.