Ugenya MP David Ochieng voted with Tanga Tanga MPs to defeat ODM in a bill which all NASA MPs had been whipped to vote against but which eventually passed with a slight majority.
Tanga Tanga, a Jubilee faction allied to DP Ruto, showed their voting strength as they humbled ODM.
The IEBC Amendment No.3 bill that paves way for the formation of a selection panel for the nomination of IEBC commissioners drew intense lobbying and whipping in parliament yesterday but ultimately, the ODM Party could not marshal the numbers to defeat the bill.
ODM had wanted the selection panel to be composed of political party representatives akin to the 1997 IPPG consensus on formation of the then Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK).
Ochieng’, to the shock of the minority side, voted aye (yes) when his name was called in the roster.
Rift Valley unanimously voted for the bill. So was Mt. Kenya, with only three ‘kieleweke’ MPs breaking ranks and voting with ODM.
Suna East MP and Minority Whip Junet Mohammed’s vote became contentious after the presiding speaker ruled he had ‘spoiled’ his vote by responding both ‘yes’ and ‘no’ but after the hansard record was reviewed, it was realized that a mistake had been made and he was allowed to vote again.
He voted against the bill.
Multiple sources who understood the intrigues of the vote told this blog that Junet as the Opposition Whip had focused on getting the backing of swing Jubilee MPs believing that ODM MPs would automatically toe the party line. However, even as he got the backing of Jubilee, a number of ODM MPs did not enter the house to vote, with some seen loitering in parliament’s cafeteria.
In the end, a last minute lobbying of Tanga Tanga MPs by Jubilee Majority Whip Benjamin Washiali saw Tangatanga enhance its voting strength, defeating ODM.
