Sifuna Pins Tribunal For Blocking Expulsion Of ODM Rebel MPs
The senator further insinuated that the PPDT lacked real powers to enforce its directives.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Tuesday, September 12 faulted the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) for issuing orders suspending the party's decision to expel three lawmakers for associating with President William Ruto, against the party rules.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Sifuna cornered PPDT chairperson Desma Nungo and exposed a past instance where rulings given by PPDT were ignored after they were issued.
The senator further insinuated that the PPDT lacked real powers to enforce its directives.
President William Ruto meets Nyanza leaders at State House on February 7, 2023. /PCS
"Desma Nungo is the very same person at the PPDT who issued ex-parte orders stopping the removal of Dulo as the Senate Minority Whip a few months ago.
"In the end, the PPDT couldn’t force a relationship that had broken down to subsist. Dulo went," he wrote.
The senator questioned the rationale and timing behind the tribunal's ruling and expressed confidence that the orders against ODM will also be dropped.
"The latest orders against ODM will suffer the same fate in the fullness of time. Any person celebrating ex-parte orders at the PPDT is legally a moron," he added.
Ex-parte orders are done with respect to or in the interests of one side only or of an interested outside party.
Earlier, the PPDT issued orders stopping ODM from expelling three lawmakers from the party. They included Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Phelix Odiwuor alias Jalang’o (Lang’ata), and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.
Explaining the ruling, the court revealed that the orders were issued pending the hearing of a case filed on Monday challenging the trio’s expulsion over allegations of violating the party’s constitution.
In the case of Isiolo County Senator, Fatuma Dulo, the tribunal blocked Azimio la Umoja's move to oust the Senator from her Senate minority whip position.
At the time, Azimio Senator was seeking to replace Dulo with Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina. The coalition fronted Sifuna to deputize the legislator.