ANC officials launch fresh bid to kick out Senator Malala

Amani National Congress party officials want Senator Cleophas Malala (pictured) expelled from the party.

Kakamega ANC branch officials have formally written to the party top organ, the National Executive Council, demanding the senator's removal.

A meeting chaired by the party branch chairman, Julius Arunga, at ANC Amalemba office in Kakamega town resolved that the senator ought to be ejected for violating the Political Parties Act and ANC constitution.

Mr Arunga said it was wrong for the senator to openly campaign for ODM candidate Imran Okoth in the Kibra by-election at the expense of ANC, which is fronting Eliud Owalo in the crowded field of 24 candidates.

“He rode to the Senate on ANC ticket and it is unfortunate when he (Malala) starts hurling insults at our party leader Musalia Mudavadi, disparaging the party and working with our competitors,” he said.

“As a branch, we have resolved that disciplinary action be taken against Malala as we start preparing to gather signatures at branch level in order to recall him,” said Arunga.

The party officials were reacting to recent statements by Malala targeted at ANC and Mudavadi during ODM campaign rally in Kibra where the senator had accompanied the Orange party leader Raila Odinga and Governor Wycliffe Oparanya in drumming up support for Mr Okoth.

Oparanya and Malala are political foes turned friends and the two have been seen together in many public events within and outside the county.

“I have come here with Malala, he was in ANC but it is just a matter of time before he joins officially joins ODM,” Oparanya who doubles as ODM deputy party leader told a crowd in Kibra recently during one of the campaign rallies.

Also present was ANC nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi who survived the party’s onslaught to have his name expunged from ANC registrar, a move that would have cost him his position.

Malala and Mr Osotsi have been adamant that Mudavadi must forge a political alliance with Raila ahead of the 2022 polls.

"Malala is bound by the Political Parties Act, 2011 and the Code of Conduct set out in the Act but violated the same by with ANC rival party," read the letter in part.

The senator was reluctant to discuss the matter when contacted yesterday by The Standard on phone. He said he was still thinking about whether to react on the move taken by the branch officials or not.

The decision by Mudavadi to field Owalo, a former ally of Raila has not gone down well with the ODM leadership. Mr Imran, Owalo and Jubilee’s McDonald Mariga are seen as front runners in the by-election slated for November 7. Also in the race is Ford Kenya's Khamisi Butichi.