Beleaguered Orange Democratic Movement chief executive officer Magerer Lang’at has linked his ejection from a party meeting to the Sh80 million recently allocated to the party.
The money which was their share from the Political Parties Fund calculated on their performance in the 2013 elections.
Speaking to journalists in Kericho Wednesday, Mr Lang’at accused some officials of scheming to misuse the money.
“The hands of these people are really itching and they are doing everything they can to get rid of me so that they can access the funds which are public funds meant to benefit the party and its membership,” he said.
He promised to reveal more on political squabbles going on in the party.
But on Tuesday, while attending the funeral ceremony of former Kenya National Union of Teachers Chairman Joseph Chirchir, Mr Odinga assured Mr Lang’at of his job and his personal support.
TRUE FRIEND
Mr Odinga described Mr Lang’at as a ‘true friend’ who had stood with ODM in last year’s elections while other politicians in the South Rift ditched the party for the United Republican Party (URP) which was more popular in the region.
Mr Odinga further condemned the assault of Mr Lang’at and dismissed as untrue allegations that there were plans to fire him from his party position.
“That is nonsense. There is no plan by the party to sack my friend Magerer (Lang’at). He proved himself to be a loyal friend when he withstood the Jubilee wave in this part of the country to stand with ODM in the last elections,” he said.
Mr Lang’at defended himself against allegations that he was a mole planted in the Orange party by political opponents of party leader Raila Odinga to rock the boat from within.
Mr Lang’at reminded his detractors that he was the only key politician to have stood by the party throughout the political storm in Kericho County – his political backyard – during the 2013general elections while the rest trooped to URP.
It was this decision which eventually cost him his bid for the Kipkelion West Constituency parliamentary seat after voters in the South Rift region opted to overwhelmingly back URP, which is led by Deputy President William Ruto.
JUBILEE WAVE
“I tackled the Jubilee wave in the South Rift singlehandedly. How can anyone now accuse me of being a Jubilee mole in ODM? Why wasn’t I branded a mole when I accompanied Mr Odinga to all his campaign rallies across the country last year?” he asked.
Mr Lang’at cast heavy doubts on the investigations being launched by the party over the attack on him, recalling that a similar taskforce was set up nearly seven months ago after the botched ODM elections which featured the now infamous Men in Black.
The committee, which Mr Lang’at said was expected to present its report over what transpired at Moi Sports Centre Kasarani in Nairobi, has never done so to date.
‘We know the contents of the report and we are also aware that when it is released, it will have been watered down.
“This new investigations will go down the same route and take between six to eight months before being released,” he said.
Source-nation.co.ke
Magerer Says his Woes in ODM Linked to Party Funds
Magerer Says his Woes in ODM Linked to Party Funds
