Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna hinted on Friday, June 16, that lawmakers who voted in favor of the Finance Bill 2023 would be kicked out of the ODM party.
The ODM Secretary General explained during an event in Western Kenya that the four lawmakers betrayed the party’s position on the Finance Bill, claiming that the MPs were working with President William Ruto.
Nairobi County legislators Esther Passaris, Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Aden Adow (Wajir South), and Caroli Omondi (Suba South) voted in favor of the contentious bill.
“We have written to the MPs who met with Ruto and supported the Finance Bill.” “We don’t want them in our party,” he said.
During his speech, he also revealed that some ODM lawmakers who were facing disciplinary action for failing to appear in Parliament during the Finance Bill debate were plotting to avoid punishment.
Sifuna stated that some lawmakers claimed to be sick during the debate on Wednesday, June 14, and thus skipped the session entirely.
Other lawmakers, he said, argued that they were attending important meetings.
Nonetheless, the party’s Secretary General stated that the ODM will take action against the 24 legislators for failing to fulfill the mandate for which they were elected.
“Some people are elected to parliament to represent their constituents. They are now writing to us, claiming to be ill and making a variety of other excuses.
“You were elected for one purpose, and that is to be present when important decisions are made,” he explained.
Azimio was unable to prevent the Finance Bill from proceeding to the third reading after only 81 MPs voted against it. In contrast, 176 MPs voted in favor of the bill.
