John Mbadi
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) national chairman John Mbadi has sounded a warning to rebels within its membership that the party will not shy away from expelling them in a bid to restore sanity in the party.
Speaking during an interview with Ramogi FM, Mbadi stated that the party’s National Executive Council’s decision to dismiss five legislators deemed rebels will not be reversed.
ODM voted to remove five of its members from the party registration after they were accused of supporting rival parties and violating the party’s constitution.
Mbadi defended the National Executive Council’s decision to dismiss the parliamentarians stating that each and every member of the party knows the rules that govern them and they appended their signature promising to abide to them.
“The party reached the decision after thorough consultations. We’ll go the full hog to remove them from the party because they violated the rules.
“The code of conduct they signed was an agreement to comply with the party rules. The leaders unfortunately or blatantly disobeyed the party guidelines,” Mbadi said.
Mbadi claims that the dissident MPs defended themselves in various ways. He said that some of them even disrespected the committee.
The five parliamentarians who were expelled from the party include Elisha Ochieng’ Odhiambo (Gem), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Tom Ojienda (Senator of Kisumu County) and Phelix Odiwuor (Lang’ata).
This is not the first time that the ODM party has cracked the whip on members who went contrary with the party’s rules and direction. This dismissal come in the middle of a heated political debate as to who will succeed Raila Odinga in the Luo Nyanza politics.
