A fresh wave of tension has hit the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party after members of its Youth League strongly opposed the nomination of Harold Kipchumba Kimuge as a Member of Parliament, replacing John Mbadi.
The discontent within the party has sparked outrage, with youth leaders accusing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of ignoring their preferred nominee, John Ketora.
The ODM Youth League, led by Ketora who also serves as its President, expressed deep dissatisfaction following Kipchumba’s gazettement on Monday, July 28.
Ketora argued that he had rightfully qualified for the nomination, yet the IEBC went ahead and appointed another candidate without offering any clear explanation.
In a bold move, the Youth League has issued a strict seven-day ultimatum to the party leadership to address what they termed as a betrayal and a violation of internal democracy.
“If the party does not rectify this injustice within one week, we will instruct the youth affiliated with us on the way forward,” Ketora warned.
He further revealed that the Youth League was considering taking legal action by moving to court to challenge Kipchumba’s nomination, emphasizing that the matter would not be dropped quietly.
“We are determined to pursue justice no matter how far it takes us. If need be, we are ready to walk away from ODM. We have options and we are not tied down,” added David Kimutai, a vocal member of the Youth League, hinting at possible defections if the issue remains unresolved.
The uproar follows IEBC’s recent gazettement of Kipchumba as John Mbadi’s replacement in a reshuffle of special seats in the National Assembly and various County Assemblies across the country.
Mbadi, who was nominated by ODM under the workers’ category, vacated his parliamentary seat after he was appointed to the Cabinet by President William Ruto.
However, Kipchumba’s nomination has been marred by controversy. He was nominated under the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) category, a move that sparked complaints from the ODM Youth League.
They argue that Parliament already has a representative from the PWD group, and it is therefore unfair to replace a nominee under the workers’ category with another PWD representative.
“It’s wrong to substitute a workers’ nominee with a PWD candidate when that category is already represented. This is not fair and it undermines inclusivity,” lamented Martin Muthusi, ODM Youth League’s Vice President.
Despite the uproar, IEBC defended its decision, stating that the changes were made in line with due process. The Commission explained that the nominations were adjusted to fix errors in the party lists that were submitted during the 2022 General Election.
Besides the dispute within ODM, IEBC also announced similar changes in other counties. A total of nine changes were made in special seat allocations across counties including Garissa, Kiambu, Murang’a, Kakamega, Taita Taveta, Kirinyaga, Makueni, Nyandarua, and others.
These changes affected nominees in various categories such as youth, people with disabilities, gender top-up, and minority representation.
As tensions continue to rise within ODM, the coming days will be crucial in determining whether the party leadership will bow to pressure from the Youth League or hold firm on the IEBC’s decision.
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