KAKAMEGA DECIDES
"We want you (Kutima) to hand in your resignation letter as Deputy Governor failure to which we shall remove you and appoint another loyal ODM member to serve as Deputy Governor," Moffat Mandela
By Collins Matubwi
Kakamega
ODM is threatening to remove Prof Philip Kutima as Kakamega Deputy Governor after he defected to DAP-K.
ODM through Kakamega county youth leader, Moffat Mandela, has asked Kutima to resign as deputy governor, failure to which they shall replace him with someone who is loyal to the party.
Nominated Senator Naomi Shiyonga (left), Bungoma DG Charles Ngome, Kakamega DG Philip Kutima, Busia DG Moses Mulomi and DAP-K boss Wafula Wamunyinyi“The defection of the deputy governor is a cowardly act precipitated by fear of party primaries against candidates who have shown interest in the Kakamega gubernatorial seat in the august elections,” said Moffat
“We want you (Kutima) to hand in your resignation letter as Deputy Governor failure to which we shall remove you and appoint another loyal ODM member to serve as Deputy Governor,” he added
Moffat said Kutima is also to be blamed for waning party support in the county, adding that it is the reason he was removed as ODM county chairman last years.
But Kutima is accusing ODM party top brass in the region of betrayal, citing it to be the reason he joined the Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K).
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Kutima’s boss is the Deputy Party leader of ODM.
Kutima after defecting at Chui House in Nairobi claimed that the party had already a pre-determined candidate and they (ODM) to bury his political ambitions at the party nominations.
“I have been loyal to the party for all this years but they shortchanged me in favour of another candidate (Fernandes Barasa). They wanted to rig me out during the party nominations.
Kutima has however maintained that he is still supporting Raila Odinga presidency.
At the same time, nominated senator Naomi Shiyonga officially joined DAP-K party.
Shiyonga also decried betrayal and lack of internal democracy as the reason for her defection, saying the party suffocating her in favour of Kakamega Women rep Elsie Muhanda.
At the same time, Bungoma Deputy Governor has ditched DP Ruto’s party UDA and joined DAP-K.
He will be vying for the Bungoma senate seat.
Ends
