When Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi broke his silence about Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa's problems in ODM — and strongly supported her — he revealed "dark forces" rocking the Orange Party.
He said ODM leader Raila had promised that Jumwa would not be expelled if she explained herself, apologised to the Disciplinary Committee, went without her lawyer and did not thump her chest. She said as he said, and the Disciplinary Committee still called for expulsion.
Kingi pledged not to take part in a Malindi by-election should Jumwa's seat be declared vacant.
Kingi said the democratic space in ODM cannot be matched by any other Kenyan political party, however, he asked party leader Raila Odinga’s word no longer stands in his own party.
While a Women’s Day gathering in Ganze on Friday, Kingi accused "dark forces" in ODM of engineering the expulsion of Jumwa who openly backs Deputy President William Ruto for President.
He said he unsuccessfully tried to sort out the Jumwa problem through a round table.
Kingi said he was in Nairobi when Jumwa told him she had been summoned to appear before the ODM Disciplinary Committee for violating party rules.
Luckily Raila was around, he said, and he met him at a hotel with Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho. "Raila was concerned with the many cases of indiscipline in ODM and said they need to be stopped. He said Jumwa should appear before the disciplinary committee to explain herself and apologise. He assured me the matter would not go beyond the disciplinary committee level,” Kingi said
Despite Jumwa doing exactly what Raila had instructed, Raila’s word was not honoured, he said. Expulsion was recommended and the matter was forwarded to the National Executive Council NEC. It delayed a decision for 60 days.
“Aisha came back and said, 'Governor, you lied to me that the matter would end at the disciplinary committee but it has now been forwarded to NEC,'" he quoted Jumwa as saying.
Kingi said he went to Raila's Capitol Hill office and demanded why things went contrary to their earlier agreement to leave Jumwa alone.
"Raila said Aisha should not go to the NEC with her lawyer, she should also not chest thump and the matter will end at the NEC. She did exactly that but still it failed,” Kingi told the gathering.
Aisha’s future in ODM now lies with the National Delegate’s Council, of which Kingi is a member.
“I didn't attend the NDC because I told myself I had followed up the matter from the Disciplinary Committee to the NEC but it bore no fruit. ... I had intervened in the matter with wisdom and respect but hit the wall,” Kingi said.
Kingi claimed people in the party want to frustrate Raila.
“Baba’s stand was for Jumwa to remain in the party on condition t she apologises .... This (expulsion recommendation) is not the way he expected things to happen. We should know that Pilate was a powerful leader but unable to stop Jesus from being crucified despite finding him clean,” Kingi. said
Jumwa said she was not aware of who the petitioner was. But when she appeared before the Disciplinary Committee she was informed she was disrespectful to Raila when she said, "Kiuno kina kazi yake."
During the Women’s Day celebrations, Jumwa refused a proposal by Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire, who is ODM’s deputy chair in Kilifi county, to convene a meeting to discuss the issue.
“I don’t see the need to convene a meeting when the matter has already been determined. At this time I know who is with me and who is against me. I am not afraid of leaving ODM,” Jumwa said.
Deputy President William Ruto also hit out at Raila for expelling Aisha.
Ruto accused Raila of political deceit by creating a rift in the Jubilee Party and arbitrarily expelling members from his party.
Speaking in Ganze and Kaloleni on Saturday, Ruto said the nation will stand with Jumwa to ensure she is not mistreated.
“You cannot claim to unite Kenyans when you create divisions in other parties and expel members from your own party. This is being dishonest to the country, and political conmanship. You cannot unite Kenyans by expelling Jumwa for her development relationship with the Deputy President of Kenya, elected by the citizens," Ruto said.
The DP said no politician or any leader needs anybody’s permission to work with any leader of the Kenyan government.
It is shameful for a party leader to convene a whole National Executive Council to plan how to expel a woman. "Men with their beards sitting to discuss a woman is shameful. It is not acceptable in this 21st Century,” Ruto said.
“What they are accusing Aisha of doing has been done by many men, including the party leader. Why don’t they tackle the men and leave the woman alone? Any political party or leader who orchestrates to undermine women has no place in the 21st Century.”