By Eliud Owalo

The ODM party has since inception pegged its agenda for Change on its commitment to the fight against corruption,among other integral parameters. The fight against corruption must be universally applicable irrespective of whether the subjects are in Government or the opposition.

The grave corruption allegations level led against Ababu Namwamba by virtue of his capacity as the Chairman of the PAC makes his position as the Chairman of this crucial house watchdog Committee no longer tenable.

He must therefore step aside to pave way for relevant organs of both Parliament and the state to conduct impartial investigations into the matter to determine the veracity or otherwise of those allegations.

Equally, Ababu no longer has the moral authority to continue clinging onto the position of Secretary General of the ODM Party.

The Party Secretary General is the spokesperson of the Party. The image of the Party in the eyes of Kenyans will be
heavily dented and perhaps at the lowest ebb if it’s own Policy advocate who is the SG is heavily implicated in graft.

This will also rob the Party and it’s Presidential Candidate a crucial campaign message, namely the fight against corruption; in the 2017 elections.

To begin with, the Party should withdraw all its members in the PAC and nominate fresh names so that the crucial house Committee is constituted afresh.

The Party has enough members who can serve in that committee Chairmanship and membership to PAC should not the preserve of any individual or group of individuals.

Next, the Party should sack Ababu to step aside from his position of Secretary General of the ODM Party unless and
until his name is cleared of these serious allegations.

Equally, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has been accused of systematically running down Mumias Sugar Company during his tenure as the Managing Director of the giant Sugar Miller.

He was not MD of Mumias by virtue of being the Governor of Nairobi, and he must therefore be ready to bear responsibility as to costs and consequences of the
same without dragging the Party into it.

It does not help the Party cause to continue clinging onto Kidero in the face of serious allegations of graft at Mumias Sugar Company to the detriment of the people of Western Kenya whose single largest source of livelihood is now at
stake.

The Party risks losing its crucial Western support base by being seen to be protective of Kidero who has crippled the economy of the Western region, yet he is equally known to be one of the most disloyal members of the Party.

Embarrassingly, the Nairobi County Governor is heavily implicated in wanton land grabbing reminiscent of the Nyayo era yet both ODM and the CORD Coalition has maintained a studious silence on the same simply because it’s our own Governor is at the engine and the centre of the land scams.

Moreover, for purposes of the 2017 elections, it is a foregone conclusion that Kidero will not secure a second term as the Governor of Nairobi.

Whether the Party stands with him or not is immaterial; for
Kidero will be voted out from his position as Governor of Nairobi in 2017.This is the naked truth; you can take it to the Bank and earn interest.

It is a great disservice to the Party rank and file to treat certain individuals with kids gloves. There is a general feeling within the Party that Ababu and Kidero have been given a leeway that gives them the impetus to say and do anything detrimental to the Party but get away with it.

Nobody in the Party is indispensable.

The Party must separate the wheat from the chaff. The Party is more important than any single individual, Ababu and Kidero inclusive.