Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

County News

Murkomen fires back at ODM over his link with Jumwa and Dori

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator has rebuked ODM’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna assertions that Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Msambweni counterpart Suleiman Dori do not merit any legal counsel with Murkomen quoting the constitution that the two have the full rights to seek legal service/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 7 – Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen has fired back at the Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM) over claims that his legal representation for two of its defiant MPs who risk being expelled from the opposition outfit is illegitimate.

In a series of tweets on his official handle on Wednesday evening, the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator has rebuked ODM’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna assertions that Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Msambweni counterpart Suleiman Dori do not merit any legal counsel with Murkomen quoting the constitution that the two have the full rights to seek legal service.

Murkomen’s tweets elicited fierce response from a section of netizens whom read mischief over his affiliation with the ‘rebel’ lawmakers with MP Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) throwing a shade on him on his position on the matter.

Murkomen has termed ODM’s position on the case which has now been referred to the party’s National Governing Council (NGC) as a pure grandstanding from the Raila Odinga led outfit and vowed that he will expose the pretenders of democracy.

He further insisted that Jumwa and Dori whom have been accused of going to bed with the Jubilee Party especially on advancing Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential ambitions will remain to be members of ODM until the next election in 2022.

On Wednesday, in a response to a letter that Murkomen had written to the ODM top organ on the appeal of Jumwa and Dori had filed, Sifuna told off Murkomen to stay away noting that the case was a purely an internal party affair hence his interest for offering legal service to the duo was unwarranted.

“It is frankly embarrassing for your clients (Jumwa and Dori) to claim to be champions of the values and aspirations of ODM when they have no basic knowledge of the constitution of the party and it is indicative of how they have drifted from the mother ship,” read part of the statement.

Sifuna’s statement was a sharp contrast to those he had told Capital FM News on Wednesday that the duo have a right to seek legal services and that they can be represented by anyone.

“They can pick any lawyer they want, they can be represented by anyone. I am also a lawyer and I represent some people in the Jubilee Party,” he said.

In fact, in relation to the case pitting Jumwa and Dori, according to the ODM Party Constitution Article 8(4) sates that “any Party member under a disciplinary process shall be entitled to represent him/herself in person or by an authorized representative or next friend”.

ODM Chairperson John Mbadi has less than six months from the date of the decision appealed from to convene a special session of the National Governing Council which shall deliberate on the fate of Jumwa and Dori who risk losing their seats and a by-election called on their respective constituencies if the Registrar of Political Parties bows to the ODM’s request.

The two coastal leaders who have since showed repentance for their actions of not toeing the party line insist, they were not given a fair hearing and blamed their woes to Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho whom they say is out to settle political scores.

They argued that in the spirit of the handshake that culminated between President Uhuru Kenyatta and the former premier Odinga they should be shown mercy and let “bygones be bygones”.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Though their narrative is being backed by some of their colleagues like that of Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, the two leaders’ risk being left out on the cold when 2022 beckons.

Other members recommended for expulsion by ODM include Homa Bay MCAs Dan Were, Evans Marieba, Julius Gaya, Geoffrey Juma, Paul Ongoro and Joshua Nyabola over alleged unruly behavior.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News