Azimio Leader Raila Odinga reportedly intervened at the eleventh hour to prevent the expulsion of Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris and two other “rebel” Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Orange Democratic Party (ODM). New details have emerged, shedding light on Raila’s strategic alterations to the recommended disciplinary actions, which softened the punitive measures.
The ODM disciplinary committee had initially proposed stringent penalties, including hefty fines and suspensions from parliamentary committees, for Passaris and her fellow rebel MPs. However, Raila Odinga decided to revise these recommendations, introducing more lenient consequences.
According to reports, Raila made several key modifications to the punitive measures. The fines, which were originally set at a staggering Ksh 5 million, were significantly reduced to Ksh 1 million for some of the rebel MPs. Additionally, the disciplinary committee’s initial proposal to suspend certain MPs from parliamentary committees for a period of 12 months was entirely dropped.
Esther Passaris, who had found herself on the brink of expulsion from the ODM due to her support for the Finance Bill 2023, saw her punishment significantly softened. Instead of facing expulsion, she was fined Ksh 250,000 and asked to issue an apology for her stance on the bill.
The disciplinary committee’s report had highlighted the reasons behind Passaris’s support for the Finance Bill, which included considerations for the interests of her constituents, her personal conscience, her role on the Housing Committee, and her belief in the right of MPs to vote according to their convictions. Despite this, the report had initially recommended her expulsion from the ODM.
Notably, Passaris reportedly informed the committee that she would continue to defy the party’s directives and vote in favor of the Finance Bill if it were reintroduced in the National Assembly.
Raila Odinga’s intervention also extended to Uriri MP Mark Nyamita and Rongo counterpart Paul Abuor. The committee had proposed a substantial fine of Ksh 5 million and a 12-month suspension from National Assembly committees for both MPs. However, Raila opted to eliminate the suspension from parliamentary committees and reduced their fines to Ksh 1 million.
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