Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) women leaders have bashed the embattled Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa’s remarks on her feminism as being the reason for party’s expulsion.
The lawmakers have gone ahead to demand that the MP should respect party leader Raila Odinga and cease immediately linking him to her woes.
Led by the Deputy Secretary General Agnes Zani, the women MPs say the party’s decision to expel Jumwa over her rebellious behaviour was arrived at democratically, insisting the party constitution clearly stipulates provisions for kicking out a member deemed to be defiant.
The MPs’ remarks are the latest salvo to Jumwa’s supporters who have accused the Opposition outfit of being dishonest in their message of spreading unity and being champions of the handshake that brought forth a political truce between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga.
“The party top organs sat and listened to Jumwa’s submissions and consequently made a decision about her fate. Claiming that our party leader is chasing out women from the party is a lie because ODM is a party of structures and we respect them and we would like other people to respect the structures as well,” she said Monday at the party’s headquarters.
Zani said their statement over Jumwa’s ouster from the party was prompted by concerns from their colleagues at the grassroots who demanded to know the party’s women position over the matter.
Jumwa who has not shied away from expressing her support towards DP William Ruto on her part insists that her actions are purely backed by “towing the line in the spirit of the handshake”.
Jumwa was expelled from the Opposition outfit early this month by the ODM National Governing Council but later got temporary reprieve after the Political Parties’ Disputes Tribunal suspended her expulsion.