The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) held its meeting today at the party headquarters which was attended by among others Party Leader, the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga.

After healthy deliberations which lasted 2 and half hours, the meeting resolved as follows;

1. That the meeting received a report on the ongoing negotiations by the joint parliamentary select committee on IEBC reforms and noted with concerns that its work could be sabotaged by the parallel activities of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly which we believe is a deliberate move by Jubilee administration to frustrate the work of the joint parliamentary team. We demand that the Hon. Samuel Chepkonga led committee suspends with immediate effect its deliberations or else we revert to the streets protests until a genuine process is realized.

2. The NEC also noted with concern the contempt and impunity with which the leadership of the National Assembly is treating the Court Order to re-admit Ugunja MP Hon. Opiyo Wandayi into parliament. We call upon the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Justin Muturi and the leadership of the National Assembly to respect constitutional institutions and the rule of law.

3. That the ODM shall hold its party primaries in the month of February 2017 to give sufficient room for successful candidates and the party to prepare for the general election.

4. That following the above resolve, the NEC directs anyone holding party positions and intents to vie for seats in the general election to vacate by the 31st of December 2016 to pave the way for the preparations of the party primaries.

5. Following the disbanding of the National Elections Board by the NEC in the month of April this year, the meeting today adopted a proposal by the Central Committee of the party meeting held on Tuesday this week to reconstitute a new board to oversee party elections and nominations exercise. The members of the new board are as follows;
• Hon. Judith Pareno – Chairperson
• Dr. Robert Arunga – Member
• Ms. Norah Anindo – Member
• Mr. Ibrahim Rashid Ahmed – Member
• Mr. Edward Dzila Nyale – Member

6. The NEC approved the election of Mr. John Ketora as the ODM Youth League Leader by the OYL NEC. He is now the National Youth Leader of the party.

7. Finally, the NEC noted that the Secretary General of the party Mr. Ababu Namwamba has been absent from duty for several weeks now. He has even been quoted as a having made some pronouncements which have not been formally communicated to the party. The NEC therefore resolved to give him Seven days to resume duty or formally communicate his decision to the party for appropriate action to be taken. In the meantime, one of the Deputies Secretary General Sen. Agnes Zani has been appointed to handle the functions of the Secretary General in acting capacity.

Thank you and God Bless Kenya.
Orange House