ODM kicks out Nanok as party vice chair for supporting DP Ruto

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has ousted Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok as the party vice chairman.

The opposition party announced Thursday that they have replaced him with Loima MP Jeremiah Lomorukai.

The announcement was made during the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Nakuru. It comes days after Mr Nanok publicly declared his support for Deputy President William Ruto in his 2022 presidential bid.

ODM'S FUTURE

ODM posted a tweet stating, “Following numerous public pronouncements that he has quit the ODM party, the NEC has unanimously resolved to replace Governor Josphat Nanok as the party vice chairman with Loima MP Hon Jeremiah Lomorukai. He was welcomed to the NEC by the PL [party leader].”

The NEC two-day meeting that ends Friday is being attended by the Mr Odinga, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sufina, ODM Chairman John Mbadi, Siaya Senator James Orengo and other top leaders in the party.

Mr Odinga said that the NEC would be reviewing a report that was commissioned to examine internal processes of the party and related issues as the leaders continue working towards strengthening the movement.

On Thursday, ODM escalated the storm that has rocked the National Super Alliance (Nasa) over Sh4.1 billion given to parties by the Registrar of Political Parties by maintaining that ODM had no money to share with any other party.

NASA WRANGLES

Nasa affiliate parties among them Amani National Congress (ANC), Wiper Democratic Party and Ford Kenya have in the past demanded a share of the windfall from the exchequer.

“Under the Nasa agreement, the only money subject to sharing is the money we received from the Registrar of Political Parties as a result of the votes we got during the August 2017 election for our presidential candidate.

“It is common knowledge that the results of the race were annulled by the Supreme Court and the Registrar of Political Parties will not give us money because we did not participate in the October 26 repeat election,” Mr Sifuna said.

ODM was recently awarded the money by the Court of Appeal after it filed a case but now says it does not owe the other parties a cent.

Last Friday, Mr Sifuna urged the National Treasury to swiftly release the money, saying it was delaying the roll-out of activities they have lined up.

According to the law, a political party is not entitled to funding if it does not secure at least three percent of the total number of votes at the preceding General Election. And if more than two-thirds of its registered office bearers are of the same gender.

It must also have at least 20 elected members of the National Assembly, three elected members of the Senate; three elected Governors; and forty members of County Assemblies. Only Jubilee and ODM met the criteria after the last General Election.

The ODM top organ is meeting in Nakuru to deliberate on various issues among them a task force report on the process of party nominations.

According to Mr Sifuna NEC will deliberate recommendations made by the task force in its report that also looked into performance of the party in the last three electoral cycles.

“We want to have an honest discussion to interrogate the feedback of the report to adopt recommendations that will see better future nominations, “said Mr Sifuna.

Mr Sifuna added that the retreat will also address the party’s forthcoming grassroots elections, which are also highlighted in the report.

2017 ELECTIONS

The Catherine Mumma-led task force was formed in March last year to examine ODM’s performance in the run-up to the 2017 General Election with a view to strengthening the party’s electoral processes.

The mandate of the task force was to examine the party’s performance and provide an honest review of the 2017 elections and a way forward for the party to ensure future success.

The report blamed rigged party primaries and poor dispute resolution mechanism as some of the main challenges facing the party poking holes, into the compilation of the party list.

A source privy to the issues under deliberation at the meeting yesterday revealed to the Nation that the referendum question is also being featured in the discussions.

The retreat comes against the backdrop of clashing positions among party members on a possible new system of governance particularly in the devolution structure.

Although ODM members have been vocal on the referendum issue, the party is yet to take an official stance on the matter.