The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has officially confirmed the resignation of its deputy party leaders, Ali Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, along with several other high-ranking officials.
The resignations, announced on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, follow President William Ruto’s recent nominations of the two former governors to key ministerial positions in his cabinet.
In a statement issued by ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, it was confirmed that Joho, the former Governor of Mombasa, will lead the newly established Ministry of Mining and Blue Economy.
“The party has officially released its officials who were recently tapped by President William Ruto for national duty as Cabinet secretaries. I confirm that I have received the resignations of John Mbadi as National Chairperson, Opiyo Wandayi as Secretary for Political Affairs, Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Joho as Deputy Party Leaders, and Beatrice Askul Moe as a member of the Party Elections Committee,” stated Edwin Sifuna.
While Oparanya, the former Governor of Kakamega, has been nominated to head the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development.
The resignations were revealed during a Central Management Committee meeting, which also saw the departure of John Mbadi as the national chairperson and Opiyo Wandayi as Secretary for Political Affairs.
Mbadi, who had served as ODM’s national chairperson, was nominated by President Ruto to oversee the Treasury ministry, while Wandayi, the National Assembly Minority Leader and Ugunja MP, has been nominated to lead the Ministry of Energy.
Additionally, Beatrice Askul Moe, nominated as the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Affairs and Regional Development, has resigned from her role as a member of the Party Elections Committee.
In light of these changes, ODM has pledged to undertake consultations among its members to fill the vacant positions.
“In the wake of the vacancies occasioned by the nominations, the Party shall be embarking on wide consultations amongst its membership in order to fill those vacancies,” the statement added.
