NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 4 – An Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party member has filed a petition at the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) challenging businessman Jimi Wanjigi’s presidential candidature ahead of the 2022 General Election.
Catherine Wanjiku Irungu faulted the Raila Odinga-led party, which is the respondent in the case, of tolerating Wanjigi’s character which she said has been abusive and causing disrepute to the party.
“The respondent through wrongful application of the party’s constitution and laid down laws, permitted the interested party to abuse the structures of the party,” she said in her petition.
Irungu is also concerned that the party has failed to enforce its Constitution by failing to initiate disciplinary action against Wanjigi whom she accuses of undermining the authority of the party and slandering its party leader.
“The respondent is under an obligation to conduct an ethics and integrity objective test to ensure the suitability of any candidate including the interested party but the respondent has failed, ignored or refused to do so,” she said.
Wanjigi who has been crisscrossing the country to popularize his presidential bid has maintained that his pursuit to dethrone Odinga as the ODM party substantive flagbearer in the 2022 election is still alive and insisted that he will not be cowed to back down.
In the petition, Irungu notes that Wanjigi has been adversely mentioned with regard to his moral fitness and ethical ethos and that ODM is obligated to investigate the veracity of the said allegations.
“I am persuaded that ODM should mandatorily conduct this test prior to forwarding a candidate’s name to the unsuspecting public in an election. Internal vetting processes are mandatory to each political party,” she said.
Wanjigi was in September stoned and heckled by people believed to be supporters of his rivals during a roadside rally in Migori.
On September 3, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna told off over his calls for a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to pick the party’s flag bearer for the 2022 presidential election.
Sifuna said the party will use any of the four procedures laid out in its regulations to pick its candidates for various seats.
In the 2017 General Election, Wanjigi claims he bank-rolled Odinga’s presidential campaign under the now-defunct National Super Alliance (NASA), a claim dismissed by some high-ranking party officials.
Deputy President William Ruto and Odinga are also in the race to succeed President Kenyatta alongside other eight candidates who include Amani National Congress Party Leader Musalia Mudavadi, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi of KANU, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula.
Others are Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi and former Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Mukhisa Kituyi.
