- Osotsi decried unwarranted attacks on the Central Committee and senior officials of the party by the governor.
- Over the weekend, Barasa has asked the Central Committee to stop interfering with the management of the county assembly.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
ODM has warned Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa against showing “disrespect” to party organs and urged him to abide by their decisions.
Deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi said Barasa should hold in high regard decision-making organs such as the Central Committee, which is chaired by party leader Raila Odinga.
In a statement, Osotsi noted that the Central Committee met on September 11, 2024, to deliberate on various matters, including the situation in Kakamega County and specifically the leadership row at the assembly.
“It was a resolution of the committee that the county governor, speaker of the assembly, and the former majority leader must immediately cease frustrating members of the assembly and implement the recommendations of the party on the leadership question,” he said.
Osotsi, however, noted that, after the communication of the resolution, there have been unwarranted attacks on the Central Committee and senior officials of the party by the governor and his acolytes at funerals, media, and other public gatherings.
He said Barasa has already been invited to make his case before the same organ he is disparaging.
“My advice to the governor is that he ceases and desists from this unbecoming behaviour and awaits his date with the committee where he will be offered an opportunity to give his version,” he added.
Over the weekend, Barasa asked the Central Committee to stop interfering with the management of the county assembly.
Barasa has asked the ODM central management committee to stop interfering with the management of the county assembly.
“The county assembly of Kakamega and I as the branch chairman respect the party but please, don’t micro-manage the county government,” he said.
“We have executive authority of the people who elected us and there is no county that is directed by the party on how it should run its programmes.”
ODM leadership summoned Barasa, speaker of the county assembly James Namatsi and former majority leader Philip Maina over leadership wrangles.
Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the three have been frustrating the party's decision to replace Maina with Geoffrey Ondiro.