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Fresh power battle looms in ODM as minority whip faces ouster


A fresh power battle is brewing within ODM party at the Nairobi County Assembly with the leadership of the party at the assembly now under siege.

At the centre of the fresh row is Minority Whip Peter Imwatok, the Makongeni Ward MCA, who is now facing an ignominious ouster courtesy of members of his own party.

The fallout is so deep that even the plaque at Mr Imwatok’s office at the county assembly has been removed and vandalised.

The ward representatives in the Raila Odinga-led party have also begun collecting signatures after losing confidence in the leadership of the minority whip.

The second term MCA is accused by his colleagues of allegedly using the party’s name in bad light at the county government to advance his selfish interests.

According to one of the MCAs behind the push to remove the leader, Highrise Ward MCA Kennedy Oyugi, signature collection has started with 32 MCAs already appending their signatures.

“I am part of the team mobilising for the signatures and we already have 32 signatures. As a party, we are not going to condone corruption. From the inception of the assembly, he has been fighting every leader at the county. Is he the only angel at the county? There must be something wrong with him,” said Mr Oyugi.

ODM has 56 ward representatives at the city county assembly and at least two thirds of the MCAs are needed to sign the petition for it to see the light of the day.

The petition will then be forwarded to the speaker of the county assembly by the deputy minority whip, in the whip, together with minutes of the meeting at which the decision was made followed by designation of a replacement.

Reached for comment, Mr Imwatok dared the proponents to “bring it on”, saying he will not be cowed from exposing graft at the county government and this is not the first time he is facing such threats.

“I don’t remember how and when I became corrupt as far as I can remember it’s immediately I exposed the corrupt in city hall. I will not go to the market of buying fear. Let the masters of corruption be prepared to face me to death am prepared for them. I am ready for the challenge,” he said.

If successful, the new development will see another change at the minority leadership after last one in August last year.

Last year, ODM made changes to its leadership where Embakasi MCA Michael Ogada was appointed as the new minority leader replacing Karen MCA David Mberia.

The deputy minority leaders’ position went to nominated MCA Mellab Atema who replaced Hospital Ward MCA Patrick Musili of Wiper Party.

However, Mr Imwatok and his deputy, Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto retained their positions.