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| Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori. Mr Dori and his Malindi counterpart Aisha Jumwa have faulted ODM’s disciplinary team for recommending their removal. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP |
Orange Democratic Movement MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and Suleiman Dori (Msambweni) have faulted the party’s disciplinary committee report that recommended their removal, saying they were never accorded an opportunity to defend themselves.
Speaking after appearing before the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday in a city hotel to show cause why they should not be expelled, the two MPs said they only appeared before Mr Fred Athuok as an individual and not the disciplinary committee as required by the Political Parties Act.
Mr Athuok is the disciplinary committee chairman.
“I want to thank the party for giving us the opportunity to appear before NEC to defend ourselves. We don’t recognise the integrity of the report purporting to remove us from our party,” Ms Jumwa said.
DORI DEFIANT
About 10 MPs from the Coast region were also present to stand in solidarity with their embattled counterparts.
Mr Dori, who is the Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) chairman, said he will not accept removal from the party because he has not done anything wrong.
“ODM is our party and we are going nowhere,” Mr Dori said.
ODM deputy party leader and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya chaired the NEC session.
Party leader Mr Raila Odinga, who was scheduled to chair the session, was said to have travelled abroad while Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, another deputy party leader, sent his apologies.
RUTO SUPPORT
The two ODM MPs are in trouble for openly supporting Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid against the wishes of the party.
The other MPs, who also included Mohamed Ali (Nyali, Independent), accused Mr Joho of causing despondency within the party.
“We are fully behind the handshake and the leadership of President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga. However, we will not allow him to fight leaders from the Coast because they are development conscious,” Mr Ali said.
Other than Ms Jumwa and Mr Dori, NEC also heard from the six MCAs from Homa Bay County recommended for removal after they violently ejected the county assembly Speaker from office.
NEC is on Thursday expected to make its decision over the two cases.