The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ODM Party has resolved to expel five of its lawmakers that it considers renegade from within its ranks.
The Raila Odinga-led Opposition party says the decision was reached after the said lawmakers “defied party position and for gross misconduct.”
Legislators shown the door for their dalliance with the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration are first time lawmakers Felix Odiwuor of Lang’ata and Prof. Tom Ojienda who won Kisumu County Senatorial seat with a landslide in the last election.
Also not spared the axe are Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, Gideon Ochanda of Bondo and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi.
Omondi has unapologetically averred that he doesn’t need the ODM party to retain his seat come the 2027 polls.
“The NEC has resolved to expel from the party Hon. Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Sen. Tom Ojienda (Kisumu), Hon. Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Hon. Felix Odiwuor (Lang’ata) and Hon. Caroli Omondi (Suba South) for defying party position and gross misconduct,” said the ODM in a statement after the party’s top decision-making organ met Wednesday.
Today’s NEC, convened by Raila himself, has now instructed the ODM to initiate the process of removing the five lawmakers from the party register.
The lawmakers in question mounted a strong defence against accusations of gross misconduct when they earlier appeared before the party’s disciplinary committee.
It would appear their pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears.
Signs of looming trouble for the lawmakers were evident once they begun becoming guests of State House in a move that was interpreted in some quarters to mean they were slowly shifting their political allegiance.
Despite being roundly condemned within the ODM ranks, the lawmakers have maintained that they will work with the government of the day in a move they say is meant to catalyze development in their areas of jurisdiction.
