• Raila's remarks come a few days after ODM Party National Executive Council okayed the removal of five rebel MPs from the party.
• The NEC instructed the party to kick out the five from the party register for advancing the interests of rival political outfits.
Image: AZIMIO/X
Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga has continued to condemn members aligning themselves with the government.
Speaking in Migori on Friday, Raila referred to the ODM rebels as traitors, noting that there are proper ways to engage with the government of the day.
"Our party members in direct talks with our opponents are traitors. Let them use the proper channels," he said.
The Opposition chief said opposition MPs do not need to go to State House to get development.
"Development comes via structured processes, not dished out at State House."
Raila's remarks come a few days after ODM Party National Executive Council okayed the removal of five rebel MPs from the party.
The NEC instructed the party to kick out the five from the party register for advancing the interests of rival political outfits.
The five are Elisha Ochieng’ (Gem), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Tom Ojienda (Senator, Kisumu County) and Phelix Odiwuor (Lang’ata).
They were accused of openly associating with and supporting the activities of a rival political party and for opposing lawful decisions and resolutions made by the party organs.
The NEC said for taking that stand, the lawmakers were deemed to have resigned from the ODM party.
The NEC meeting convened by Raila himself came almost a month since the renegade members appeared before the disciplinary committee to defend themselves from the accusations of gross misconduct.
According to the ODM Constitution, a disciplinary process can lead to either reprimanding the member, censuring or fining the member.
Ojienda and Jalang’o took to social media to react to the news, with the Kisumu Senator claiming his expulsion was due to his working relationship with President William Ruto.
He went ahead to state that he does not regret aligning with the government of the day, and will continue to do so despite being kicked out by the opposition party on whose ticket he clinched the Senate seat.
"My party has today expelled me for working with President William Ruto. I have no apology and will continue to work with the President,” Ojienda wrote on social networking site X, formerly Twitter.
MP Jalang’o, on his part, chose to respond to the news with a Bible quote, and a presumably symbolic photo of himself carrying an evidence box to court during the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party’s presidential election petition.
He wrote: “No trial is too heavy to lift! No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Corinthians 10:13.”