Fallout in Nyandarua Azimio imminent as ODM, Jubilee tussle
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Nyandarua branch officials have claimed that they are being sidelined by their Jubilee counterparts when organising Azimio La Umoja events.
The ODM officials accused Jubilee elected leaders in the county of hijacking recent visit by the ODM leader Raila Odinga where he held consultative meeting with locals at the Ol Kalou Arboretum.
“We were not involved in arrangement to welcome Baba in Nyandarua. This is unacceptable trend which we won’t take laying down,” warned Njenga Kamau.
At the same time, serious leadership wrangling is in the offing with two sides claiming to be the bona fide ODM party officials in the county.
On Saturday, one of the teams met in Ol Kalou and endorsed Njenga Kamau, from Kinangop, chairman. The 120 delegates also wanted an immediate takeover of the party office in Ol Kalou town.
Dickson Manyara has over the years claimed to be the recognised chairman of the party in Nyandarua.
Kamau said Manyara has been in office through interim arrangements: “since the party election board has never sent a commissioner from Orange House to preside over election of officials in Nyandarua.” He said Manyara was a group of eight people who met and declared themselves as officials of ODM in the county.
Kamau said the official takeover of the party office in the county will be done at a later date adding that the purpose of the Saturday meeting was to update the 120 delegates who attended on the National Delegates Conference (NDC) set for February 25.
“We want the NDC stopped because the item on election of party presidential candidate is not included in the agenda of the two-day gathering,” he said, adding that the omission is meant to lock out Jimi Wanjigi from seeking to be the presidential candidate for the Party.
He threatened that those supporting Wanjigi will go to court to stop the NDC and if that does not work, “we will attend and stop on the floor”.
An ODM youth, David Ragui, said Jubilee leaders in Nyandarua have started zoning the county and are urging people to only elect Jubilee leaders in all seats during the August General Election.
“Azimio is an umbrella body and leaders in Nyandarua should stop telling people to only elect Jubilee candidates for the governor, MCAs and MPs,” Ragui said.
