Tycoon Jimi Wanjigi
ODM has dismissed threats by city tycoon Jimi Wanjigi to block the party’s National Delegates Convention unless it discusses the flag bearer.
Wanjigi wants the ticket that is assumed will go to ODM boss Raila Odinga.
ODM has announced it will have a two-day delegates’ meeting on February 25 and 26 at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
The business tycoon has expressed interest in the party’s presidential ticket. He has demanded the party issue another NDC’s notice but includes the nomination of the flagbearer on the agenda.
Wanjigi said ODM has not decided on the presidential candidate for August 9 and the decision should be made by the party’s constitution.
A group claiming to be ODM delegates from Mt Kenya and Eastern regions aligned to Wanjigi on Wednesday gave the Orange party a week to put the flag bearer issue on its agenda.
If it does not do so, they said they would move to court to block the delegate’s meeting choreographed to dovetail with the Jubilee NDC.
“If the above demands are not met within the next seven days, we will file a case to halt the NDC. We have already written to the Registrar of Political Parties and the Party’s National Election Board (NEB) on this crucial matter,” Nyandarua ODM delegate John Njenga said.
“We urge all ODM members and delegates to NDC to be extremely vigilant. ODM cannot be the party to extinguish democracy.”
The delegates were addressing a press conference at a Nairobi hotel a day after the presidential hopeful wrote to ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna.
Wanjigi demanded the meeting notice be recalled over the omission of discussion of a presidential candidate.
“As an aspirant for the party’s presidential ticket, the omission of this critical agenda at the convention… is unreasonable, smells of ulterior motive, and is meant to curtail my rights as a life member of the party to participate in the party’s affairs,” he said.
ODM chairman John Mbadi on Wednesday scoffed at the court threats, saying Wanjigi will not dictate the agenda of the top party’s organ.
“Who said it is he to dictate to us the agenda of the NDC? It is the NGC to approve the agenda after NEC agrees on the agenda,” Mbadi told the star on the phone.
“Why would he interfere with the running of the party? There is a process. He should go and read the party’s constitution.”
The National Assembly Minority leader said Wanjigi has not exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanism as required by law.
“You cannot stop any Kenyan from going to court but on what grounds now? He should write to NEC to propose what he wants to be included in the agenda.”
“If he does not get a hearing from the NEC, he can register his dispute with Political Parties Dispute Resolution Tribunal.
“His lawyer should advise him. He is a member of our party. Why is he assuming the party will not hear him? The chairman will hear him.”
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