Deputy President William Ruto's quest to occupy the highest office in Kenya seems to have started shaking up ODM after some of the party's legislators vowed to support him.
Coast ODM MPs laughed off threats of punishment by their party for stating they will support DP Ruto’s bid for the presidency in 2022.
Notably, ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna affirmed that MPs who have expressed support for the DP will be punished.
Sifuna maintained that ODM through its appropriate organs will consider disciplinary action against the members should they persist in their contempt of party resolutions and directions.
[caption caption="ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna"]
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“It is shocking indeed that some of those engaged in these premature campaigns for Ruto are members of the Party’s NEC who are expected to abide by its decisions,” Sifuna stated.
Coast Parliamentary Group chairman Suleiman Dori, who is the Msambweni MP and Kinango’s Benjamin Tayari, supported the DP’s candidature during the World Environment Day event in Kwale, which was attended by Ruto.
They maintained they will support him “as he was the only one with the capacity to address issues affecting the Coastal people and bring them development.”
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya noted that ODM’s resolutions cannot supersede the constitution which gives every Kenyan the right of expression.
The declaration by the Coast MPs has dealt a blow to Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho's bid for the presidency.
[caption caption="Governor Hassan Joho chats with Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo"]
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Speaking on Joho's bid for the presidency in 2022, Dori argued that it was “unrealistic” to think that a Coast leader could take the top seat.
