Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor popularly known as Jalang’o says he is in ODM to stay amid renewed calls by party leader Raila Odinga for rebel MPs working with the government to resign and seek a fresh mandate on a UDA ticket.
Speaking on Sunday during an ODM recruitment drive in Nairobi, Raila said Jalang’o and other four MPs have no business remaining in Parliament on an ODM ticket if they continue working with the government.
Raila said he had already reached out to the Lang’ata MP and his colleagues to seek fresh mandates under UDA tickets if they are men enough.
"We have agreed that all those elected as MPs in our parties have a term of five years. If you want to leave ODM and join UDA, then leave Parliament and return to the people to be re-elected under UDA," Raila said.
"In Nairobi, we have Lang'ata MP and you know the rest. We have told them that we are returning to the ground and if you get re-elected on UDA, that is fine but we must go back to the election."
In response, Jalang’o said he has no qualms going back to voters and asking them to re-elect him but he would still do that on an ODM ticket.
“I’m man enough, the question is even if I were to resign today, there is not IEBC. There’s no one to conduct elections,” he said during an interview on Obinna TV on Tuesday.
But if there was you would, he was asked.
“Why not,” he said. “But I would still run under ODM, that’s my party.”
The Lang’ata lawmaker said he does not envision leaving ODM for any other political outfit even as he continues to work with the government purely for development’s sake.
He said despite his close association with the ruling UDA, he is still a loyal ODM member and has continued to faithfully pay the monthly fees required of every elected party member.
“So, I’m in ODM, if they want me to go back to the elections, I will go back then they call nominations again then I beat all of them again under ODM,” Jalang’o said.
“Then I still become an ODM Member of Parliament in Lang’ata. I have never left, I’m just working for the people of Lang’ata.”
Despite going against his party leader’s stand and choosing to work with President William Ruto’s government, Jalang’o said he still has a healthy relationship with Raila.
“I’m not a prodigal son, Baba is my father. Number one, Baba loves me so much. People are talking but they cannot even reach Baba. If I call Baba right now he will pick up because he knows this is my son,” he said.
So you don’t feel like there’s something you did wrong? He was asked.
“There’s nothing I did wrong,” he said adding that he has never betrayed the party.
Jalang’o and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda, Suba MP Caroli Omondi, Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda, and Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo are considered rebels for going against the party and working with the Ruto administration.
The five were expelled by ODM's National Executive Committee in September last year after the party determined that their actions went against the official party position.
But come November 29, 2023, the Political Parties Tribunal gave them a new lease of life within the opposition outfit by ruling against the disciplinary committee’s decision to expel them.
The Tribunal said the expulsion was irregular as it found that the ODM Disciplinary Committee was not properly constituted and as such, the adoption of its decision by the National Executive Committee to expel the five MPs was a nullity and has no effect in law.
“This Honourable Tribunal declares that the disciplinary proceedings against the complainant were unprocedural and in violation of the right to fair administrative action and fair hearings as per Article 47 and 50 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Section 14A(2) of the Political Parties Act, the Fair Administrative Action Act,” a verdict read by Tribunal chair Desma Nungo on read in part.