On Friday, July 31, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei reminded Nominated Senator Crystal Asige that her loyalty is owed to the ODM Party, which nominated her to the Senate.
Cherargei, who responded to Asige's claims that she was 'punished' by ODM after being removed from a powerful Senate Committee, stated that she was lucky the Orange Party did not strip her of her nomination despite her alleged disloyalty.
He further opined that she should either remain loyal to the ODM faction led by Party Leader Oburu Oginga or join Senator Edwin Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi, thereby losing her seat.
"You are in the Senate courtesy of ODM. If you feel you want to join another political formation of Linda Mwananchi, the decent democratic discipline is to resign from ODM, which automatically you will lose your Senate nomination.
"Thank God it's just being moved to another committee, which is just procedural, not deregistered from ODM party because you have contravened the Political Parties Act," he stated.
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Senator Asige deemed her removal from the Senate Committee on Roads, Transport and Housing as uncalled for.
She argued that during her time in the Committee, she championed the rights of over 8 million persons living with disabilities, including inclusive transport and mobility, sustainable cities and accessibility in the built environment.
The Nominated Senator further argued that she executed her role very well, despite having a disability.
"If this is punishment by the leadership - so be it, but one thing that people ought to know is that God has a knack for turning a bad situation into a glorious occasion," she stated.
Her removal comes amid sustained disciplinary action by ODM on elected leaders with a dissenting voice from the faction led by Oburu.
ODM removed Sifuna from the powerful Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and replaced him with Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo. This was days after the party dewhipped him as its Deputy Majority Whip.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi was removed as the chairperson of the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee and the Special Funds Committee.
