• Wanjigi wants the election of the party's presidential candidate included in the agenda.
•Wanjigi accused Sifuna of violating ODM constitution in the planning of the NDC.
Image: TWITTER/JIMI WANJIGI
Presidential hopeful Jimi Wanjigi has accused ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna of violating the party Constitution by omitting crucial agendas in the upcoming National Delegates Convention (NDC).
Last week, Sifuna announced that ODM would hold its NDC at the Nyayo National Stadium on February 25 and 26, which is the same date as the Jubilee party's NDC.
However, Wanjigi, in a letter to Sifuna on Tuesday, expressed concern over the omission of the nomination of the party’s presidential candidate as one of the agendas of the convention.
According to the businessman, this omission “exposes the party to the risk of not nominating its presidential candidate for the 2022 General elections scheduled to be held in August 2022 for the first time since its inception fifteen (15) years ago against the dictates of the constitution.”
"As an aspirant for the party’s presidential ticket, the omission of this critical agenda at the Convention, in my considered view, is unreasonable, smells of ulterior motive, and is meant to curtail my rights as a life member of the party to participate in the party’s affairs," Wanjigi said.
“I am not shocked by the action of the party since from the time I announced my bid in 2021; the party has been operating in an opaque manner, not responding to my constant pleas to be democratic in its dealings, and has been fundamentally violating its constitution and the Nomination Rules.”
He also faulted the party for deliberately failing to invite a select group of delegates to the convention in accordance with its constitution.
The groups which have been left out of the NDC invitation list include; all Chairpersons of the County coordinating Committee, two persons of disability drawn from each county, and one member from each registered Overseas branch.
“This is a fundamental violation of the constitution that has never been seen before and the same is only happening under your reign as the Secretary-General of the Party and it's my demand that you forthwith stop disregarding and acting in breach of the party constitution,” Wanjigi told Sifuna.
"My demand is simple; that the spirit and the letter of the democratic tenets guaranteed in the party’s constitution and rules be followed to the tee. I fail to understand what you find challenging with that, yet you have the hindsight of being trained as an Advocate!."
He added, “One of the goals of offering my candidature for the party ticket is to support the party in enhancing internal democracy in a more transparent, accountable, and people-driven process. It is for this reason that I demand the notice issued be recalled as the same is defective and does not adhere to the party’s constitution.”