Friday March 2, 2023 – Azimio Leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday, February 28, announced that he would not go ahead with the planned expulsion of nine rebel lawmakers who met President William Ruto at State House from ODM.
Speaking during an interview, Raila indicated that he made the decision after the Members of Parliament involved in the saga wrote to him explaining why they visited the President and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chief further indicated that the party had initially planned to take action against the rebel MPs but he stopped the process.
“I’ve received written communication from them saying they did not defect from ODM and they went because they are following up on those projects,” Odinga revealed.
According to Dr. Brian Mutie, an Advocate of the High Court and a Governance expert, Raila’s decision was in line with the concept of politics of numbers.
Furthermore, Mutie indicated that Raila was taking a fatherly approach to the matter, considering that most of the MPs who went to meet the President are first-time lawmakers.
According to the Governance Expert, expelling the legislators would mean they lose their seats in parliament and such a move would require a by-election, something that even ODM is not ready for.
On whether such a move would have a negative effect on the other MPs who were calling for the expulsion of the Rebels, Mutie contended that Raila is not fazed by the lawmakers.
The Kenyan DAILY POST