ODM accuses ‘sycophant’ Moses Wetangula of partisan politics

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has criticized National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula over his comments on the party’s recent expulsion of five legislators.

The party last Wednesday kicked out Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda and MPs Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Felix 'Jalang'o' Odiwuor (Lang'ata), Caroli Omondi (Suba South) and Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) over allegations of violating the party’s constitution.

The parliamentarians were accused of violating ODM’s constitution and the Political Parties Act 2011 by openly associating with and supporting activities of a rival political outfit, as well as opposing lawful decisions made by party organs.

Speaker Wetangula as a result lectured the opposition on democracy, criticising the opposition for what he termed as harassment of elected leaders who have chosen to work with the Kenya Kwanza government for the sake of development. 

"You cannot preach democracy to the masses and practice oppression within your parties. Democracy must be upheld everywhere," Wetangula told a church service in Migori County on Sunday. 

“Where I come from, it's believed that if one doesn't eat cow's meat, he equally can't drink cow meat soup. You can't preach water and drink whiskey."

In response, ODM on Wednesday took an issue with Wetangula’s “partisan” involvement in the matter, saying as House Speaker he is supposed to remain a neutral arbiter in legislative and political party issues.

ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna called Wetangula a speaker who has reduced himself to “a Kenya Kwanza appendage and nothing more” in his dispute resolution mechanisms, unlike his predecessors who “picked the path of statesmanship over sycophancy or partisanship.”

The party dismissed Wetangula’s sentiments and maintained it would see through the expulsions because the five leaders chose to promote the interests of other political formations.

“We can only hope that Mr Wetangula forgot that once the due process of these expulsions is concluded, and ODM intends to follow it through to the end, it will be his duty to declare those seats vacant. He cannot therefore have any opinion on the matter until the party has undertaken its mandate as to do so would be extremely prejudicial,” read the statement.

“But if Wetangula feels constrained to speak, we challenge him to lay down the instruments and garb of the office of Speaker and meet us on the political platform like any other politician, so that we can take on him as we have effectively done in the past.”

Additionally, ODM termed it ironic for Wetangula to preach about democracy yet even after becoming the National Assembly Speaker in September last year still remains chairman of the Ford Kenya party.

“… [he] himself runs the party like an echo chamber of a fiefdom where dissent is not allowed, and his word is law; hardly the image of the democracy he preaches to us,” said the party.

“We have no intention of engaging in a war of words with the Speaker of the National Assembly. But henceforth, as long as he continues making these unfortunate and divisive utterances, we will separate Wetangula the Speaker from Wetangula the politician and deal with him like any other political opponent.”

ODM’s statement came a day after the court issued temporary orders barring the party from expelling Ojienda, Odhiambo and 'Jalang'o'.

The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal on Tuesday gave the orders pending the hearing of a case filed on Monday challenging the trio’s expulsion.

“In the interim and pending the hearing and determination of this Application, this Honourable Tribunal hereby issues interim conservatory orders staying the implementation and/or execution of the decision of the 1st Respondent to expel the Complainant/Applicant, Hon. Phelix Odiwuor Kodhe, from the Orange Democratic Movement Party,” read one of the court papers.

The matter was set for mention on September 25.