President William Ruto on Wednesday met with five embattled Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs, a week after they were expelled from the party.
Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Phelix Odiwuor ‘Jalang’o’ (Lang’ata), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda were joined by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo at the State House meeting in Nairobi.
The five members were expelled for going against the ODM party and aligning with President Ruto.
A source privy to the matter who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke, revealed that legislators agreed to continue working with the Kenya Kwanza government to enhance development projects within their regions.
The MPs vowed to continue with the agenda despite any consequences issued by the ODM party.
Photos which surfaced on social media showed the leaders seated in a roundtable discussion as they shared a light moment with the Head of State.
The meeting comes after the Political Parties Tribunal suspended the expulsion of the five legislators, saying that the new order will remain until the application challenging their ouster is determined on September 20, 2023.
The Tribunal also blocked the Registrar of Political Parties from effecting the changes and subsequently stopped the ODM party from removing them from the Parliamentary committee roles.
Last week, the MPs had petitioned the Tribunal to block the move, claiming a political witch-hunt over their relationship with President Ruto.
On the other hand, ODM party Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna defended the party's decision to remove the members from the political outfit, saying that the lawmakers disrespected the party's policy.
He accused the members of tainting the party's image by embracing their meetings with the president.
“You people know that every time they speak, they remain adamant on their stand against party programs and embrace the meeting with the president," Sifuna said during a media interview on Tuesday.
