Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama hints at quitting ODM

NAKURU: Rebel ODM MP Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West) has hinted that he will defend his seat on a different party come the next General Election.

Mr Arama who broke ranks with ODM when he started cooperating with the Jubilee government, on Saturday declared that he will move to the right party at the right moment when the elections are due in 2017.

He was speaking in Nakuru town during the funds drive to assist Mr Charles Torori, a local politician, to undertake prostate cancer treatment in India,

The controversial legislator said there was nothing wrong with him seeking re-election on a different party ticket saying none should remain permanent in one political party.

"There is nothing wrong with someone changing his minds about his political affiliation. Parties are only vehicles that we use during elections. Politicians need to strategies all the time," he told the meeting.

He continued “Even those claiming to be steadfast in the opposition moved from one political party to another whenever they felt safe-politically."

Arama once again defended his contented support of the government despite belonging to the opposition saying his constituents were benefiting from such an arrangement.

"Soon I will launch the slam upgrading project in Nakuru town west courtesy of the Jubilee government and my people will benefit from that," he said.

Arama said youths from the National Youth Service will be working with his constituents to improve infrastructure in Kwa Rhonda, Kaptembwo and other neighboring slums.

He slammed the opposition for engaging in what he described as partisan politics, which he said would not develop the country.

Arama was last year among four ODM legislators de-whipped by his party over their stand to cooperate with the Jubilee government. A motion tabled before parliament to replace him, Ken Obura (Kisumu Central), Dalmas Otieno (Rongo) and Zainab Chidzuga (Kwale County MP) from committees flopped after it was defeated on the floor of the house.

Early this year, the MP was in the eye of a political storm after a recording implicated him in a bribery allegation involving members of a parliamentary committee.