ODM top officials quizzed over chaos

By JAMES MBAKA

A taskforce formed to probe the botched ODM elections has begun interviewing party officials at the secretariat to unravel those behind chaos that rocked the party’s third National Delegates Convention (NDC).

The Standard learnt that the five-member team led by Jotham Nyukuri has already summoned and interviewed three directors of the party as they commenced sittings at Orange House.

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

 “We have so far interviewed three directors of the party and will call more, including the executive director to help the taskforce understand how the preparations were and what happened at the arena,” a member of the committee told The standard.

The team summoned Ceaser Asiyo, director in charge of coordination, to shade light on what he knew of the activities that preceded the NDC and what happened during the election day. Asiyo oversees the party’s activities and programmes and sat in the committee that prepared the aborted NDC.

 Also summoned was Rosemary Kariuki, who heads memberships services. As the custodian of the delegates register and membership lists, sheis expected to shed light on who was allowed to attend the event.

Influence outcome

 There have been concerns that non-delegates were allowed into the arena where the elections were being held.  The gymnasium had over 5,000 people against the estimated 2,800 genuine delegates.

  Some of the non-delegates were allegedly hired from regions commanded by Jubilee Coalition, ostensibly to influence the outcome of the election in favour of some candidate.

 The team also summoned the party’s Director  of Communication Phillip Etale to brief them on who received invites to attend the function.

 The team is expected to take statements from more officials among them the party’s security head Bernard Kadundo and Executive Director Magerer Lang’at.

 Lang’at is expected to shede light on the hiring of 50 youths to provide supportive security services.

The party boss had earlier told The Standard that the secretariat approved the hiring as part of the team that would help police in providing security especially on non-core areas.

 The team also plans to speak to all aspirants in a bid to establish who could have been responsible for the disruption of the exercise that was otherwise peaceful until goons took charge.

The probe team was handed less than two weeks to compile and hand  over its report to the caretaker team which will scrutinise the recommendations and decide on the soonest time possible to hold elections.

A team led by Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba has demanded that elections be held within 30-45 days.