• Registrar of Political Parties strikes off Osotsi from ANC register.
• MP vows to challenge decision in court saying it is political.
Nominated MP Geoffrey Osotsi's fast-rising political star was dimmed Tuesday.
In a landmark decision by the Registrar of Political Parties, the ANC lawmaker's name was struck off the party roll in what could send him to political oblivion.
Consequently, Osotsi's nomination to Parliament through Musalia Mudavadi's outfit will not be tenable as he is no longer a member of Amani National Congress party.
This is a first one by the powerful office that has initially been seen as toothless and an impediment to efforts by parties to instill discipline among members.
With the stroke of a pen, the vocal lawmaker- who had carved a space in national politics-became partless in what set the stage for a shake-up in the political landscape of the country.
“The contents therein are duly noted and the name of Hon. Geoffrey Osotsi has been removed from the party membership register of Amani National Congress (ANC) as decided by the party,” Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu wrote in a letter to the ANC dated May 13.
The embattled MP’s woes had worsened further after he recently lost a bid to remain ANC secretary general.
The court validated Barrack Muluka as the ANC secretary general after a tough legal battle, in what smelt like sweet victory for Musalia after Osotsi earlier threatened to kick him out.
The latest first one by the office hitherto perceived as moribund could be a wake up call to party rebels.
Raila Odinga’s ODM’s engaged in a nasty battle as it pushed for the expulsion of renegade Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa from the party over indiscipline.
Jumwa who has vowed to stay put has obtained conservatory orders from court barring the registrar from expunging her name off the ODM list.
Osotsi who has been at loggerheads with ANC officials yesterday termed the decision political and vowed to move to the court to fight it out.
“The registrar has under political pressure made a political decision not guided by the Political Parties Act, ANC constitution and Constitution of Kenya. I will certainly challenge this decision in court. Kenyans are going to know the underlying truth in this matter in the coming days,” Osotsi said.
The nominated lawmaker said the decision had very fundamental constitutional and procedural gaps that “the registrar is well aware.”
“The registrar and party have acted prematurely, irregularly and unlawfully,” he said, arguing that the registrar had ignored her earlier communication to the party in which she questioned the expulsion procedures and summoned the party to appear before her for clarifications.
“That hasn't happened,” he declared, insisting that the High Court ruling on Judicial review was not sufficient to “take that hasty action.”
Should the High Court uphold Osotsi’s expulsion, then the MP will have his seat declared vacant.
IEBC will then name the next person in the party list to be sworn in to fill ANC’s nomination slot in the National Assembly.
Osotsi has been engaged in a bitter tussle for the control of the ANC with Musalia Mudavadi and last week called for direct talks with the opposition leader to break the ice.
Musalia rebuffed the calls saying the MP needed to use the established party structures to address his grievances rather than speaking to him through the media.
Osotsi becomes the first casualty of the ambitious Political Parties Act which has largely remained under the carpet.