The crisis at the Orange Demcoratic Movement (ODM) leadership in Kilifi deepened after ODM Vice chairman Teddy Mwambire denied that he had taken over from Governor Amason Kingi as the chairman of the party in Kilifi County.
Instead Mr Mwambire, the Ganze MP said he was yet to get a full information on the meeting that had resolved to remove Governor Kingi as the chairman of ODM.
Over the weekend a group of ODM members said they had replaced the Kilifi Governor after he aligned himself to a new political party which is in the offing.
But addressing reporters in Bamba after officially opening Bamba Girls Secondary School, Mr Mwambire said he was aware of an ODM meeting but never attended.
“I was aware that there was an ODM meeting but I did not attend. Initials as the vice chairman I am supposed to be on the know on what transpired. So those who attended the meeting are yet to communicate to me.
Of course, if the chairman is removed then I being the vice chair becomes the chairman, but I am yet to get the fully information on what transpired,” said Mr Mwambire.
He said he will only react fully after getting a full report on the resolutions of the meeting.
Already the Kilifi ODM youth league chairman Samir Nyundo has resigned from the party with reports that he is warming to a new political party expected to be launched soon in Kilifi.
“Governor Kingi has not officially left the party because he has not written to or consulted me. I am able to handle that position if he leaves the party because I hear he wants to form his own party,” he said, adding that those who want to leave ODM should do so immediately.
“Those who want to leave should do so now so that we reorganize ourselves for next year’s general election,” he added.
The Governor has been leading talks for the formation of a political party with coastal roots and on July 30, a new party allied to him was given a provisional certificate by the registrar of political parties.
Kilifi Senator Stewards Madzayo and Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi have remained loyal to ODM and insist that the party was popular in the region.
Eng Saburi said that the party’s support was very intact and those who were threatening to leave the party were now struggling to come back.
“The ODM party is a Kilifi people’s party and anyone who thinks he or she can change that then they should go back to the drawing board and our party leader Raila Odinga will be the President of the republic of Kenya in 2022,” said Madzayo.
Saburi added that ODM rebels had started trooping back to the party with hopes of securing direct tickets and warned that as staunch members they will not allow that to happen.
“We are in ODM and Kilifi people are in ODM because they have a covenant with it. It is the only party that has their interests at heart but we have started seeing those who ran away trying to come back through the back door, we welcome them but they should have civility,” he said.
Magarini MP Michael Kingi said that he will run for Governor in the 2022 general election but not on an ODM ticket and supports Kingi’s quest to form a local party.
