President William Ruto met the five embattled ODM MPs at State House on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. The meeting was hurriedly convened just a week after the rebel MPs were expelled from the Orange party.
The MPs who include Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Phelix Odiwuor ‘Jalang’o’ (Lang’ata), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda were joined by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo at the State House meeting in Nairobi.
The five legislators were expelled from ODM due to their divergence from the ODM party and their newfound dalliance with President Ruto.
Details emerging from the meeting point to reports that the legislators reached a consensus to continue collaborating with the Kenya Kwanza government to bolster development initiatives within their respective regions.
Images circulating on social media portrayed the leaders seated in a roundtable discussion, sharing light-hearted moments with the Head of State.
The meeting happened in the midst of the Political Parties Tribunal suspending the expulsion of these five lawmakers.
The Tribunal declared that this suspension would remain in effect until the application challenging their removal is adjudicated upon, with a scheduled date of September 20, 2023.
The Tribunal also intervened to prevent the Registrar of Political Parties from implementing the changes. This subsequently halts the ODM party’s efforts to strip these MPs of their parliamentary committee roles.
In the preceding week, these MPs had filed a petition with the Tribunal. They sought to obstruct their expulsion from ODM party, contending that this constituted a political witch-hunt stemming from their association with President Ruto.
