Finance Bill Fallout: ODM Gears Up to Punish Rebel MPs
The leadership of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) plans to convene this week to begin the process of recalling its National Assembly members who supported the contentious Finance Bill, 2024 during the recent vote.
ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna announced on Sunday that the party’s central committee will meet following the final tally to finalize his proposal for recalling the legislators.
Last Thursday, Sifuna had cautioned ODM lawmakers about potential expulsion from the party if they backed the unpopular Bill. On Sunday, he noted that the party intends to set an example using two MPs following a recent court ruling that facilitates the removal of dissenting party members.
According to parliamentary records, 13 ODM MPs defied Sifuna’s warning and voted in favor of the Bill. They include Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Guyo Ali Wario (Garsen), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Memusi Kanchory (Kajiado Central), Christopher Aseka (Khwisero), Oscar Nabulindo (Matungu), Johnson Naicca (Mumias West), and Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo).
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Others were Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Adow Mohamed (Wajir South), Abdikadir Hussein (Lagdera), and nominated MP Umulkher Harun Mohammed.
“We have scheduled a meeting for this week to agree on the names as it has to be a decision of the party. We will meet after the final vote so that we agree on the two names,” said Mr. Sifuna. “You just need what we call proof of concept. We need two errant MPs to make an example out of; one from a rural constituency and another from an urban area. We are going for the notorious ones. This is a proposal from me as the secretary-general of the party. But, if members of the central committee feel that we can do more than two, then that is fine.”
As public pressure mounts on the Kenya Kwanza government due to protests over the Finance Bill 2024, attention will be focused on the voting behavior of MPs aligned with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has conflicted with President William Ruto.
Last week, several lawmakers, including James Gakuya (Embakasi North), Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central), known as Mejjadonk, Njeri Maina (Kirinyaga Woman Representative), and nominated MP Sabina Chege, were notably absent during the parliamentary vote.
Finance Bill Fallout: ODM Gears Up to Punish Rebel MPs
