A host of Orange Democratic Movement rebels from Kisii County is set to officially decamp to Jubilee Alliance Party during the four days scheduled tour by President Uhuru Kenyatta to the region, a source privy to the information has revealed.
The rebels led by Senator Chris Obure, Deputy Governor Joash Maangi, and Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka have maintained that they were still in the party even with their increasing activities in the Jubilee Coalition.
But a source who spoke on condition of anonymity since he is not authorised to speak on behalf of the rebels on Tuesday confirmed a planned official move on August 9.
“They are no longer in ODM and that is a guarantee. The defection date arrived after intensive consolations in the State House and will take place the first day of the presidential tour to the region,” said the source.
“They will defect in the presence of the President and will thereafter submit official resignation letters to the ODM party that will basically show that they have left their respective positions that they have been holding,” added the source.
When reached through the Phone, Obure could neither deny nor accept the allegations but insisted that the presidential tour was purely developmental.
“I have heard people saying some of us have left ODM but what they don’t tell us is that we have freedom to choose parties. I don’t know about the claims but all I know is that the president isn’t coming to politic. We want to serve our people first,” he said.