ODM Rebels to be Disciplined

ODM legislators who opposed the Proposed constitution will be disciplined for their stand to oppose the constitution against the party’s wishes.

This decision was agreed and endorsed by at least 70 MPs who attended ODM’s parliamentary group meeting held at its headquarters at Orange House on Thursday.

In a statement read by Parliamentary Group’s Secretary Ababu Namwamba, the NO legislators had gone against the party’s position to support the constitution and deserved no leadership positions in the party.

This comes a few days after President Mwai Kibaki and prime Minister Raila Odinga announced that no leader would be victimized because of his/her stand to oppose the constitution which received an overwhelming support during last week’s referendum.

ODM Secretary General Prof. Anyang Nyongo said there was need to discipline such leaders who contradicted the party’s position.

“The PG has decided that a process of taking disciplinary action in accordance with our constitution will be initiated,” said the Medical Services Minister.

Apart from Housing Assistant Minister Margaret Wanjiru, the NO legislators led by deputy Party Leader and Minister for Higher Education Wiliam Ruto were conspicuously absent from the meeting which lasted for almost 2 hours.

The NO side lost in the referendum after they scooped a paltry 30% compared to the victors – the YES side – who garnered a commanding 67% of the votes cast.

In the same meeting, it was agreed that no member of ODM who had opposed the constitution would be nominated to the implementation committees in parliament.

ODM Parliamentary Group also agreed that no amendments to the just – passed constitution were possible in what the Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba said the new constitution was clear on how amendments can be done.

It now remains to be seen what the “disciplinary action” against Ruto’s faction will entail.

The Party Leader and Prime Minister Raila Odinga was also absent from the meeting.

Report by Bernard Koech and Faith Chebet