NAIROBI: The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is set to initiate the process of dealing with Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero over his disloyalty to the party.
In its effort to teach the governor a lesson, the party has called for the delegates drawn from Nairobi County to a meeting next week on Tuesday to start the process of his removal.
PERCEIVED DISLOYALTY
Sources at the meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) and National Elections Board (NEB) Thursday said Kidero’s perceived disloyalty to the party and his open support for a candidate from another party in the Homa Bay County senatorial by-election has angered members of the party.
In what could be seen as a battle of supremacy in Luo Nyanza politics, Dr Kidero openly expressed his support for Maendeleo Democratic Party’s (MDP) Engineer Philip Okundi in the Homa Bay Senatorial by-election slated for February 12.
Okundi decamped from ODM after the party failed to conduct party nominations and instead gave Moses Kajwang’ a direct ticket as the preferred choice of the party.
MDP has in the recent past been associated with Kidero and the political contest is no longer a contest between the candidates but between Kidero and ODM party leader Raila Odinga, who commands a huge following and is the undisputed regional kingpin.
The source who requested not to be named said Raila who is away in India, contacted Nairobi County Chairman George Aladwa to resign from his current position as the Deputy Organising Secretary and remain as the Chairman.
Though, Raila did not tell him to convene the meeting, the decision to bring together all the Nairobi delegates was arrived at the NEC and NEB meeting Thursday.
“All the delegates will on Tuesday meet and discuss what Kidero said openly in supporting another candidate. NEC has given us the go-ahead and once we make the recommendations, we shall share it with the party organs to take further action,” said the source who requested not to be mentioned.
KIDERO’S CONDUCT
Contacted, Aladwa said the party leader had personally asked him to step aside from his current position and remain the ODM Nairobi branch chairman.
