Babu Owino, a member of parliament for Embakasi East, has a party role in ODM after failing to gain coveted committee positions in parliament.
The Raila Odinga-led party has made changes that have replaced politician Steve Mbogo with Mr. Owino as the Secretary in charge of Science and Technology in an apparent attempt to appease the outspoken lawmaker. He expressed vehement displeasure over what he perceived as attempts to bypass him in the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee.
In accordance with her authority granted by Section 20(1)(c) of the Political Parties Act of 2011, Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu published a Gazette notice announcing the modifications.
According to the notice, Andrew Mwadime defeated Thomas Mwadheghu, a former Wundayi MP who ran for the position of area governor in the most recent elections, to become the new National Vice Chairperson.
Nderitu stated in the notice that “Any person having written submissions concerning the anticipated amendments by the political party shall make their written contributions to the Registrar of Political Parties within seven days from the date of this publication.”
In addition, Kwale Woman MP Zulekha Juma Hassan, who is now the Deputy Majority Leader in the National Assembly, has replaced Kilifi North MP Owen Baya in that position after the latter defected to the United Democratic Alliance Party just before the general election. The position of Deputy Party Organising Secretary General had been open since the late Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori passed away in March 2020 after a brief illness, and it has now been filled by Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga.
At the same time, Stella Chepkirui has replaced Bomet lawmaker Ronald Ngeny as Secretary for Environment, while Wajir North MP Ahmed Abdisalan Ibrahim has replaced Abdikadir Mohammed as ODM National Organising Secretary.