ODM probe team still groping in the dark

By JAMES MBAKA  

Kenya: A five-member team formed to probe the botched Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) national elections is yet to make any headway in unravelling the culprits behind the violence that rocked the party’s National Delegates Convention three weeks ago.

The team, which was officially unveiled by party leader Raila Odinga two weeks ago and given a month to carry out investigations into the cause of the chaos, is yet to solve the puzzle.

This is in spite of the fact that the group of youths clad in black suits who disrupted the elections as they got underway at the Kasarani Gymnasium, who have been christened ‘Men in Black’, were captured on video overturning tables and destroying election materials.

The team which has  twice dodged the media even after inviting journalists for a briefing on the status of investigations, hinted that it did not have any leads that could help in unravel the mystery.

 “We therefore request the public to volunteer any information that will help us accomplish our task,” the Jothan Nyukuri-led team said in a brief statement at Orange House.

Other members of the committee include Senator Harold Kipchumba, Jotham Arwa, Mtalaki Mwashimba and Isaiah Mandala.

The team appealed for any information that could help expedite the matter to enable the party move forward after the chaos that almost brought it to its knees.

The team is expected to hand in its report to the party’s Transitional Interim Executive Committee (TIEC), which was established to steer the party after the abortive elections.

In the interim leadership team, Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) took over as co-chairs in an acting capacity while former political rivals Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba and nominated senator Agnes Zani are the interim party joint secretaries.

Buying time

Once the TIEC gets the report, it will arrange for another election for the party to pick substantive officials. However, that could take longer given the pace at which the team is moving with the investigations.

The report will determine the course the party takes as it seeks to hold fresh elections to elect new leadership after the abortive NDC that left party members bitter and the face of the party bruised.

The Nyukuri-led team is expected to identify the financiers and masterminds of the chaos and make recommendations on the action to be taken.

“We will leave no stone unturned. We have a duty to carry out the probe as expeditiously as possible but that depends on the number of people we intend to summon to shed light on the chaos,” a member of the team told The Standard even as it appeared they could be buying time to await the return of Raila, who is attending a month-long programme in the US.

 The former PM was invited by Boston University to attend a high-profile programme tailored for former African political leaders.

The visit has however raised a storm locally, with Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari having filed a question in the House seeking to know details of the programme.

The party is currently in the hands of  party Secretary General Peter Anyang Nyong’o, who is also the Kisumu Senator.