NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 22 – Businessman Jimi Wanjigi now says he will be at the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Delegates Convention (NDC) set to take place this weekend.
Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, Wanjigi indicated that he was a bona fide delegate, and no one had the right to refuse him entry.
“I believe that am a delegate of ODM party and nobody has given me notice that I have been delisted from the delegates list. I will be in Kasarani this weekend should the NDC continue as planned,”said Wanjigi.
The party’s Nairobi Branch chairman George Aladwa had stated that the businessman cum politician is not a listed delegate from Nairobi County.
According to the ODM party constitution, one must be a delegate to participate in the ratifications made during the NDC.
“This is to therefore to caution one Jimi Wanjigi to desist from claiming to be a legitimate delegate when he is just an ordinary and life member of the party,” said Aladwa.
Wanjigi however lamented that his name was illegally and unconstitutionally expunged from the list of delegates in the Raila Odinga led party.
He accused the party of using underhand tactics to oppress him after he declared his interest in the presidency.
“The expunging of my name was illegally done in December 2021. Further, a large number of bona fide branches party officials who are aligned to me have also been barred from attending the NDC,” the businessman noted.
A section of ODM delegates from Mt Kenya region have since filed a case at the political party’s tribunal seeking justice after there were efforts to lock them out from the NDC.
“We are going to soldier on. Legally and politically. Let them make no mistake, if we don’t get justice from the Political Parties tribunal, we shall be attending the ODM NDC to fight for democracy,” Peter Njenga, one of the Mt Kenya delegates stated.
He also put the blame on ODM leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta of persecuting him because of the political stand.
“When reason doesn’t prevail, ODM the new wing of government results to using agencies that we together fought to keep away. Odinga in cohort with President Kenyatta want to stop my presidential bid by any means. Evidence is finally out,” Wanjigi noted.
