The Star is privy to a plan hatched to remove the two senators from both committee
and House leadership because of their opposition to President William Ruto’s re-election.
While Osotsi has aligned himself with the Linda Mwananchi movement, an ODM
faction opposed to Ruto’s re-election, Karanja is being accused of having links
with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Osotsi chairs the Senate County Public Investments
and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) while Karanja is the Deputy Majority
Leader in the Senate.
Sources in ODM say a scheme is underway to
kick out Osotsi from the oversight committee months after he was
stripped of his position as ODM deputy party leader.
The Vihiga senator has been critical of the Kenya Kwanza administration
and is publicly aligned to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna whose Linda Mwananchi
is plotting to challenge Ruto in next year’s general elections.
According to sources familiar with the plan, members of CPIC
were on Thursday expected to table a motion expressing no confidence in Osotsi during a committee meeting, paving the way for his removal as chairman.
“Our members will raise the matter during their session for
changes to the leadership of the committee. You cannot have your cake and eat
it,” a senior member in the ODM leadership told the Star.
The motion was to be introduced during a session
at which Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga had been scheduled to appear before the
committee.
However, the meeting failed to take place under unclear
circumstances, effectively frustrating the planned ouster.
The Star reached out to Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, who is said to
be behind the ouster bid, but he neither confirmed nor denied.
“I cannot comment,” Oketch told the Star.
Oketch is the new Deputy Minority Whip in the Senate having
taken over from Sifuna who was removed from the position last week.
Osotsi's attempted removal is seen as the latest phase of an
ongoing purge targeting allies of Sifuna and the Linda Mwananchi movement,
which has increasingly found itself at loggerheads with the Oburu-led ODM
leadership.
Osotsi had in March been removed as ODM deputy party leader
in a reorganisation undertaken by the party.
Unlike Sifuna, who challenged his removal as the ODM secretary general, the Vihiga senator did not contest the party's decision.
The Star reached out to him on the intended
purge and whether he had a hand in rescheduling the committee meeting that was
meant to decide his fate.
He said he was aware of the plans but
blamed the ODM leadership of witch-hunt because of his political position.
“This is political witch-hunt engineered by Oburu Odinga and
William Ruto and implemented through Ledama (Minority Whip Ledama Olekina) and
Eddy Oketch,” Osotsi said.
He said his purported ouster cannot be based on performance
as the committee has outperformed since its creation.
“This committee has handled several reports, management of
special funds as well as hospitals amongst others,” he said.
Observers say the latest developments point to a sustained
campaign to edge out leaders perceived to be sympathetic to Sifuna as the
struggle for influence within the Minority camp intensifies ahead of the 2027 general election.
In the majority wing, the Star has established that plans
are afoot to removed Karanja as deputy majority leader.
Sources said she is targeted for her alleged links to Gachagua. However, the lawmaker has not publicly declared her allegiance to Gachagua
The matter has been fuelled by Karanja's bad political blood
with Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, who is a close ally of the President.
Kihika has been under sustained attacks from Gachagua, with
the DCP boss vowing to ensure the governor is voted out in next
year's general election.
Early this year, Gachagua and Kihika engaged in exchanges
after the former DP attacked her husband.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The latest developments come after Nairobi Senator Edwin
Sifuna was removed as Senate Deputy Minority Whip, signals an intensifying
campaign to isolate lawmakers perceived to
be opposed to the broad-based political arrangement between President William
Ruto's allies and the ODM party.
