The Orange Democratic Movement deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya has condemned the ongoing wrangles within the party led by Raila Odinga.
Kivumbi.co.ke understands that the ODM party is currently torn into two groups over the BBI bill seeking to amend the 2010 constitution.
While a group led by Siaya Senator James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo is pushing for the reopening of the faulty document for corrections, the other wing led by lawyer Paul Mwangi, Junet Mohamed, and Joh Mbadi is against reopening of the document.
The wrangles escalated further on Tuesday, May 4, when Otiende Amollo was kicked out of the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and his position taken by Ruaraka MP T.J Kajwang.
In an address to journalists on Wednesday, May 5, Oparanya who recently hinted that he will vie for the presidency in 2022 said if there are misunderstandings within the party, due process has to be followed as laid down in the party’s constitution.
“As the deputy party leader of ODM, I am not happy with the wrangles going on in my party. We know very well that if there are issues in the party, there are party structures laid down to resolve this,” he said.
Oparanya who doubles up as Kakamega governor said the issues about creation of 70 more constituencies as proposed in the BBI is not handled properly, its effects might be dire and could not only divide the party but the entire nation.
He called upon the pro-BBI team at both houses to ventilate the issue adding that if not well handled, it will be had to convince Kenyans to vote yes in the referendum.
“I call upon members of both the Senate and the National Assembly to ventilate on this issue so that there is a consensus,” he said.
Orengo and Otiende have been branded as traitors within the party due to their rigid decision about the BBI document against the wishes of ODM as a party.
The two lawyers argue that its unconstitutional to have 70 more constituencies added since that’s the work of the Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
Orengo added that passing a faulty document to the members of the public will raise the eyebrows on the authenticity of both the Parliament and the Senate.
