Reprieve for Tim Wanyonyi as ODM unlocks Westlands nominations stalemate
ODM party has announced that Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi will be defending his parliamentary seat on the party's ticket after his main competitor Michael Gumo dropped his bid in his favour.
The announcement comes after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal nullified Tim's nomination certificate and ordered the Orange party to hold fresh nominations for the Westlands parliamentary seat within 72 hours.
Gumo, who had successfully petitioned the issuance of the nomination certificate to the incumbent MP, has after consultations with ODM honchos and the party leader Raila Odinga dropped his parliamentary ambitions and has avowed support for Wanyonyi's bid for re-election.
While addressing journalists from Nairobi's Serena Hotel, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed stated that the lawmaker and Michael Gumo have come to a truce and will now work together to ensure the parliamentary seat is retained by the Orange party. 
"Michael Gumo has accepted to step down in favour of Honourable Tim Wanyonyi. Tim will be the candidate for ODM in the coming elections. We want to share with Kenyans that that matter has been sorted," he said.
Tribunal nullified Wanyonyi's nomination certificate
The Political Parties Dispute Tribunal nullified the ODM nomination certificate of Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi and ordered a repeat of the nomination process.
This is after Michael Magero Gumo, the son of veteran politician Fred Gumo, moved to court to challenge ODM's decision to nominate the lawmaker. 
"We hereby allow the application filed by the petitioner on this matter, consequently we hereby nullify the nomination certificate issued to Tim Wanyonyi and order the ODM party to conduct a fresh nomination exercise for the Westlands MP within 72 hours," the tribunal ruled.
Through lawyer Duncan Okatch, the petitioner argued that Wanyonyi did not take part in the exercise where he had been declared the winner.
Magero had sued ODM's National Elections Board seeking to stop the party from forwarding Tim's name to the IEBC.
His lawyer Duncan Okatch stated that Magero won the party primaries after garnering 1661 votes with the runner up former City Clerk Phillip Kisia garnering 627 votes.
