ODM threatens to expel all rebels as mutiny holds

By JULIUS SIGEI juliussigei@gmail.comPosted Saturday, March 5 2011 at 22:00

In Summary

• Party says that if the targeted MPs apologise, their expulsion letters will be withdrawn, but Duale, Ruto maintain the move is unconstitutional

ODM chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo has threatened to de-whip MPs who have rebelled against Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the party leader, which means that they would lose sponsorship and cannot represent the party in House committees.

This latest move has reportedly caused anxiety among a section of the rebel ranks of ODM as this would see MPs lose the hefty allowances they earn through committees.

Sources the Sunday Nation spoke to indicated that Mr Midiwo’s announcement had sent shockwaves through the party, and members “have been holding meetings since this matter cropped up” to plot the next move.

The Orange party wars went a notch higher early in the week with a move to expel Livestock Development assistant minister Aden Duale and Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto.

On Tuesday ODM’s deputy secretary-general Major-General (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery wrote to the registrar of political parties Lucy Ndung’u to say the two MPs had been expelled for undermining the party.

The party now wants the registrar to inform the Speaker of this decision in a move that could see the MPs lose their seats.

According to Article 5.4 1(b) of the party’s constitution, a member shall cease to be one through a resolution passed by the national governing council, while the Political Parties Act says if a member shows by word or deed that he is no longer a member of the party that sponsored him to Parliament, then that member loses his/her seat.

Mr Ruto had earlier compared ODM to a religious sect where those who do not worship the idol are chased from ministries, parliamentary committees and the party.

“If they push us to the wall we can even resign en masse and complicate matters for everybody,” he threatened.

The two leaders have scoffed at the move to expel them, saying it was unconstitutional.

In an interview with the Sunday Nation, Mr Duale said because Chapter 38 of the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of association, and the Political Parties Act was clear on the specific grounds on which an MP can lose his seat, they were sure the party’s move would fail.

“The ODM constitution also allows members to hold different opinions. In any case the party they are saying we have moved to is an affiliate member of ODM, and it even has a full minister,” he said.

The Dujis MP also dared the party to go all the way and expel all those who have rebelled.

“Let them begin with the deputy party leader William Ruto, party chairman Henry Kosgey and Pentagon member Najib Balala,” he said, adding that there were 41 so-called rebel ODM MPs.

Konoin MP Julius Kones said the Rift Valley MPs were not worried, adding that the move had actually emboldened them.

“All this goes to confirm what we have always said about the dictatorial tendencies of the party,” he said, adding that the issue was not for the courts to decide but for the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal.

About 40 MPs have written to the Peter Simani-led tribunal to counter the move.

Moyale MP Chachu Ganya accused the party of double standards, saying that even Nkaissery campaigned for PNU’s Gideon Konchella because the latter was Maasai even though ODM had nominated a Kalenjin MP in Kilgoris constituency in 2008.

However, MPs supporting Mr Odinga welcomed the move, saying it would instill discipline in the country’s largest party.

“I am sure what we have done will cause a big storm, but we are ready for it. We have consulted our lawyers. We are not a dictatorship, but we do want discipline,” said Maj-Gen Nkaissery.

He added that more MPs will be shown the door.

“What you are going to see is a tsunami. We shall target the big guns, and the lightweights will toe the line.”

The Kajiado Central MP added that should the rebel MPs write to the party and apologise, the expulsion letters would be withdrawn.

On why only two MPs had been targeted, the party’s organising secretary Ababu Namwamba said: “We have to differentiate between dissent and rebellion, democracy and anarchy. I, too, have in the past differed with my party leader on specific issues, but what these leaders are practising is pure anarchy,” he said.

“Let them go and join that UDM. I am looking forward to seeing how they will abuse their party leader at every turn,” he said, adding that the Chepalungu MP was “a man who is difficult to work with”.

University of Nairobi political science lecturer Adams Oloo noted that “if the MPs call Raila’s bluff and go for election, and they are re-elected, then it would embolden them. However, if they fear facing the electorate then they are likely to tone down their attacks.”

Political analyst Samson Komen believes no MP in the current Parliament would face the electorate now given a choice.

“Not all of William Ruto’s supporters will easily come back were there to be an election now. How many are ready to risk their jobs in defence of Ruto and PNU?” he asked.