MPs welcome ruling stopping Jumwa's removal from ODM

Four Kilifi MPs have welcomed the move by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) to quash the disciplinary proceedings which led to the removal of Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa from ODM.

The MPs said the decision is a lesson to leaders fond of frustrating others with petty issues and told ODM to leave Ms Jumwa alone to serve her constituents.

The ODM MPs who praised the decision included Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Michael Kingi (Magarini), Paul Katana (Kaloleni) and Kilifi Woman Rep Gertrude Mbeyu.

HANDSHAKE

Speaking separately, Mr Baya said justice has finally been served for Ms Jumwa whose constitutional rights were being violated for extending the spirit of the handshake to the Deputy President William Ruto.

“The tribunal’s decision has also vindicated me since I had been blamed for criticising the expulsion despite being a member of the (ODM) national executive council. I had told off the ODM party against unjustly contravening the constitutional rights of Ms Jumwa from the word go,” he said.

Mr Kingi told Ms Jumwa to focus on serving her constituents instead of drumming up support for Dr Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid which had made ODM to expel her.

“She should now leave Tangatanga and join us in pushing for Coast unity as we await Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho to give us direction on 2022 politics,” he said.

COAST FLAG BEARER

Mr Kingi said their intention is to unite the Coast region and have their own presidential flag bearer in the 2022 elections.

“Other people have been managing our politics since they know we are people without a stand but things have changed this time,” he said during the Madaraka Day celebrations at Karisa Maitha.

Mr Katana said ODM had wasted Ms Jumwa’s time and resources in court and at the party’s disciplinary committee on a non-issue which was allegedly hatched by party leader Raila Odinga.

“They started it themselves with a handshake and I wondered why they were victimising Ms Jumwa for extending the handshake to Dr Ruto,” he said.

“ODM should accept and accommodate other people irrespective of parties for the good of the handshake.”

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

The Kaloleni MP said leaders have constitutional rights which need to be respected and they are at liberty to mingle and work with the government until 2022 when they will decide which coalition to support.

“ODM party should stop witch-hunt and leave leaders to serve their people in accordance to the spirit of the handshake until 2022 when they will decide on whose party they will vie on,” he added.

Ms Mbeyu, speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations, said that those eying the Malindi parliamentary seat should wait until 2022 when Ms Jumwa will have finished her term.

PETTY POLITICS

“You should now give space to the Malindi MP to work and bring development to her people. A lot of time has been wasted in petty politics but it is now clear it was a matter of witch-hunting since ODM did not follow the law,” she added.

In March this year, ODM party delegates voted for Ms Jumwa's expulsion over her support for Dr Ruto’s 2022 presidential ambition.

But last Friday, three members of the PPDT ruled that the proceedings the party’s disciplinary committee held on October 19, 2018 were improperly constituted and the consequent report was invalid and lacked effect in law.

Mr Kyalo Mbobu, Ms Desma Nungo and Dr Adelaide Mbithi referred the matter back to the party but said that a fresh disciplinary process should be in line with the rules of law, natural justice and the party’s constitution.