Wanjigi moves to block ODM delegates meeting

• Feb 21, 2022

Wanjigi moves to block ODM delegates meeting

By Justus Karanja

Controversial businessman Jimi Richards Wanjigi is seeking orders to block the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Delegates Meetings scheduled later this week.

Wanjigi moved to court to challenge the upcoming ODM NDC saying it was convened irregularly.

The businessman, who has declared his interest in the presidential seat, filed a petition at the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal through his proxies.

The businessman has roped in 15 regional ODM chairmen in his petition.

In the court documents, he said the party should undergo a nomination process in filling its presidential candidate ahead of the August 9 general election.

"The notice has not included/omitted the agenda item for conduct of the elections to nominate the party's presidential flag bearer after every five years contrary to rule 10 and 18 of the party's nomination rules," Wanjigi said in the court documents.

In the suit, the businessman also said the conveners of the NDC failed to include approximately 1200 delegates who are mandated to attend the two-day event set for Friday and Saturday this week.

Wanjigi also questioned the party for not convening a National Governing Council since 2019.

"I'm a life member of ODM and a delegate from Nairobi. I will attend the NDC and demand to speak," he said.

The suit was filed by John Nchebere and 15 other party members on behalf of Wanjigi at the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal.

They claimed the NDC was organised without following the outfit’s constitution.

Through lawyer Khalid Salim, they want the NDC suspended and an order for chairman John Mbadi and Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna to withdraw the notice issued on February 4 convening the meeting.

They also want the party to be compelled to reopen its nomination process for the presidential flag-bearer within the next 21 days.

“We want the party compelled to draw up a calendar of activities towards the election of the presidential flag bearer, issue nomination papers to aspirants and provide a list of certified delegates to attend the NDC at least 21 days before it is convened,” said Salim.

The petitioners argued that they had complained and raised objections to the planned NDC but the party declined to address the illegalities raised.

They accuse the party of failing to carry out elections for the national officials despite the fact that the current officials have been in office for more than five years.

According to the petitioners, the notice for the convention deliberately omitted some clauses on delegates that are required to attend the delegates meeting, thereby discriminating against some of them.

Meanwhile, the DCI has asked Wanjigi to surrender 10 firearms and over 480 ammunitions within 72 hours or face prosecution for illegal possession.