Ababu Namwamba and Salim Mvurya are among 10 politicians the ODM disciplinary committee has expelled for defecting to Jubilee Party.
Budalang’i MP Ababu quit his ODM secretary general post and later formed Labour Party of Kenya, through which he intends to unite Luhyas.
Mvurya, who is Kwale Governor, decamped to JP alongside Deputy Governor Fatuma Achani and promised to mobilise residents to vote for Jubilee in 2017.
Others who have been expelled are;
Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi
Mathare MP Steven Kariuki
Nominated MP Isaac Mwaura
Kwale woman representative Zainab Chidzuga
Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama
Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima
Sirisia MP John Waluke
Viwandani MCA Samwel Nyang’wara
The committee that met at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on Monday pardoned Marsabit Governor Ukur Yattani and Igembe Central MP Cyprian Kubai.
Five members will appear before it on Thursday for questioning. They are Mpuru Aburi (Tigania East), Mustafa Idd (Kilifi South), Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi North), Chachu Ganya (North Horr) and James Rege (Karachuonyo).
The MPs could lose their parliamentary seats if the Registrar of Political Parties ratifies the decision of the party’s disciplinary committee.
They were de-whipped from National Assembly committees last week, with the exception of Chidzuga and Arama who had been removed earlier.
Rege earlier said he had not been given a chance to explain his association to Jubilee Party to the committee.
The MP said he did not deserve expulsion as the disciplinary had not heard his case. He noted he was not interrogated by the committee as he was outside the country when those who defected were summoned.
Rege affirmed that he was in ODM to stay as he had not publicly announced his move to Jubilee.
“There is no reason why I must be kicked out of ODM. As far as I am concerned I’m a life member of the party and I have only been working closely with the Jubilee administration for the sake of development in my constituency,” he told the Star by phone.
“It will be unfair for the party to punish me without listening to my side of the story.”
Kisii MPs Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache North) and Simon Ogari (Bomachoge Chache) earlier rejoined ODM weeks after decamping to Jubilee Party.
Onyonka said JP, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto, had broken its promises to him.
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