ODM Bows Out Of Lake View, Kahawa Wendani By-elections As Seats Were Held By Jubilee Members

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will in the spirit of the handshake not field candidates in the upcoming Lake View Ward and Kahawa Wendani by-elections.

In a statement, party secretary general Edwin Sifuna said the opposition will stay away from the December 15 by-elections as the two seats were held by members of the Jubilee Party.

Lake view ward seat was previously held by Karanja Mburu who passed on from excessive internal bleeding from raptured right lung and liver caused by seven fractured ribs on the right and one on the left.

His Kahawa Wendani counterpart, Cyrus Omondi Odhiambo, died in February under mysterious conditions while on a trip to India.

Earlier this week, the ruling party resolved not to field a candidate in the Msambweni Constituency by-election.

Party secretary general Raphael Tuju said this on Wednesday while addressing members of the press at Jubilee party Headquarters in Pangani.

Tuju cited the recent advisory by Chief Justice David Maraga to the Head of State to send lawmakers home over failure to enact laws key in the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule as one of the reasons why the party pulled out of the poll.

“The decision not to engage in the contest is informed by the facts prevailing at the moment when we face challenges like the recent advisory by the Chief Justice that parliament should be dissolved, ” Tuju said.

“In other words, the country has very serious constitutional matters to deal with that will require sobriety and reaching across the political divides in order to navigate our beloved country across some of these challenges, ” he added.

He added that the move is in the interest of a “bigger picture” that puts into consideration the unprecedented cooperation between Jubilee and the ODM party that previously held the seat.

“This announcement has been made in good time so that any aspirant who has interest in a Jubilee ticket still has other pathways to running for this seat,” said Tuju.

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