HBC-ODM CRISIS

ODM was on Wednesday thrown into a crisis meeting following acrimony caused in Parliament following change of its members of the House Business Committee.


The party held an impromptu parliamentary group meeting that was attended by its leader Raila Odinga to respond to the issues raised in floor of the House.

More than 50 MPs who attended the meeting at Orange House however agreed that the list presented to the House by ODM chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo would not be changed and vowed to support it in Parliament.

Mr Odinga, Agriculture Minister William Ruto and North Horr MP Chachu Ganya were among those replaced by the party as members of the House Business Committee causing disagreements in Parliament.

The PG was not attended a number of MPs including Chepalungu’s Isaac Ruto who opposed the new list in Parliament as they were attending another meeting on constitution at County Hall.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Mr Midiwo maintained the list which he had tabled in Parliament Wednesday morning was final.

HBC is a crucial committee charged with the task of drawing up Parliament’s day to day business.

Mr Midiwo insisted that the choice of the committee’s members was the prerogative of the party and that nobody will dictate to ODM who to sit in the committee.

“All members of ODM are equal, there are no special members, even the Prime Minister has been removed from the committee,” Mr Midiwo stated when asked why the party had replaced Mr Ruto.

The Gem MP further stated that he had consulted the PM, the party chairman Mr Kosgey and Secretary General Prof Nyong’o before coming up with the list.

“I have no apologies to make, I made the list after consultations and I’m not going to change anything,” he added.

Mr Midiwo explained that Mr Odinga, Mr Ruto and Mr Ganya were replaced over poor attendance of the HBC meetings.

“The PM makes technical appearance to the meetings...same to Ruto,” Mr Midiwo said.

He warned that there’s no way only ODM list of nominees could be rejected saying “if rejected, the MPs would have rejected both (ODM and PNU’s).

He warned that no business of the house could be conducted in next six months if the lists are rejected, a thing that could force the country to elections.

“Kenyans need some crucial issues addressed and not frequent squabbling,” he said.

Admitting that there were wrangles in ODM with some leaders competing, Mr Midiwo however said he did not require their unity or harmony of ODM to work.

He said Kenyans need to a new constitution, fight corruption and end impunity.

“Kenyans want changes,” he said.

The PG meeting was chaired by Mr Odinga who however left before it ended.

In the new list of HBC, Mr Ruto was replaced by Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgey who is the ODM chairman while Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o took Mr Odinga’s slot. Nyaribari Chache MP Onsare Monda was also replaced by his Bonchari counterpart Charles Onyancha.