New details have emerged that Azimio Leader Raila Odinga made last minute changes to alter harsher punishments recommended by the ODM disciplinary committee in a bid to save Nairobi Women Rep Esther Passaris and two other rebel MPs from being expelled from the Orange Democratic Party.
According to the Nation Newspaper, Raila revised the fines for some of the rebels from a high of Ksh 5 million recommended by the committee to Ksh 1 million. He also dropped the disciplinary committee’s recommendations to suspend some of the rebel MPs from parliamentary committees for a period of 12 months.
Passaris was among the MPs who were set to be expelled from ODM but she was only fined Ksh 250,000 and asked to apologize because of her support for the Finance Bill 2023.
“Her reasons for voting for the bill were many and some contradictory: interest of her constituents, her conscience, she is on the Housing Committee so that the government has resources, as an MP (she) has the right to vote as she wishes. Esther Passaris be expelled from the ODM party” the disciplinary report read in part.
Passaris is also said to have told the committee she would again defy the party and vote in favor of the bill if it came back to the National Assembly again.
Raila also radically changes the punishments for Uriri MP Mark Nyamita and his Rongo counterpart Paul Abuor.
The two were set to be fined Ksh 5 million and be suspended from National Assembly committees for 12 months.
Raila dropped the move to suspend them from parliamentary committees and reduced their fines to Ksh ,1 million.
Also Read: Jalang’o Speaks on His Future in ODM After Expulsion
