Nominated Senator Janet Ongera has come in strong defense of embattled Kisii deputy governor Joash Maangi and Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka over claims that the two are working closely with the ruling Jubilee coalition.
Maangi and Onyonka have come under immense criticism from Senior Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members, led by Senator Chris Obure.
Ms Ongera who was speaking on Monday at Igare said the two leaders had the right to work with any leader provided it was on matters development and not politics.
She said the ODM party was founded on democracy and said its members equally had a right to have dissenting opinions on matters development.
“ODM is a democratic party. We allow freedom of speech and association internally and so when some members speak from a different scripture, we have to accept it. But that must be on matters development and not politics. In my opinion, if the duo (Maangi and Onyonka) are courting Jubilee said for the sake of development, then we have to spare them the criticism,” she said.
She however maintained that the party’s disciplinary organ has a mandate to de-whip members who engaged political opponents on matters politics to an extent of expelling them from the party.
“But if they are supporting Jubilee's 2017 election bid, then they have no option other than quitting the party because that is also democracy. You don’t have to be a rebel within the party yet doors are open to quit,” she said.
She challenged the two leaders, who recently led a delegation to Deputy President William Ruto’s Sugoi home to disclose the outcome of the meeting.
“They have persistently said that they visited the DP to discuss development. As a member of opposition where they also belong, they got to come out clear and table the outcome of the meeting,” she added.