From: Vincent Watitwa

PRESS Release 15th Jan 2011 |

It has come to the attention of the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) that a section of the media has for the past two days been writing speculative stories and articles about the future of the party without seeking the party’s right of reply in line with basic principles of fairness in Journalism.

Some of the articles and news items published and aired in the Media lacked facts and some were tailored to misrepresent the party as one under siege.
The Media has been speculating on a number of issues about the party and put ODM before public court without verifying claims and allegations quoting anonymous sources.

The Party is concerned by the fact that, although it respects the freedom of the media/press, allegations as published in the local dailies for the past two days are alarming, misleading and written without the care to call the party secretariat and the office of the Prime Minister for verification as per the principal of fairness.

A local Daily has today written that Hon Ministers Mr. Henry Kosgey, Dr. Sally Kosgei, Mr. Franklin Bett and Prof. Hellen Sambili “were instructed in secret a meeting to relinquish their party positions’. Out of the four, only Mr. Kosgey holds a National position (National Chairman). Hon. Bett and Dr. Kosgei are Members of the Party. Prof. Sambili has never been an ODM Member; she is MP for Mogotio on a UDM ticket therefore she holds no position in the party (ODM). UDM is an affiliate of ODM.

It was also misreported that the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga who is the Party Leader while Commissioning the Butali Sugar Mills Factory in Kakamega yesterday launched an attack on Ford-Kenya and New Ford Kenya political parties.

Mr. Odinga never at any given time during his speech attacked the two political parties while referring to the end in the era of small political parties. Having been an active member and founder member of Ford-Kenya, Mr. Odinga would be the last person to discredit it. This, the Party believes is a spirited campaign to injure, assassinate and tarnish the image of Mr. Odinga. He is a respecter of competition and knows too well that it’s only in a field of various parties that political contest are held.

The Party notes with concern attributes to the Deputy Party Leader Hon. William Ruto that the Prime Minister denounced the youth who supported him in the 2007 General Election and had them arrested. It was also alleged that that Mr Odinga “created” the so called Kalenjin IDPs by forcing them out of the Mau.

The Party would like to make it clear that the Party Leader has always stated and affirmed his support for the country’s youth. That is why he is encouraging more youth to turn out in large numbers to take part in the grassroots elections and gun for positions in the party at any level. About the Mau, that was purely a government decision made by the Cabinet and not in anyway related to ODM or Mr. Odinga as the Party Leader. He is being crucified without trial.

The Media continues to speculate without confirming from the party on the forthcoming party grassroots elections claiming that Hon. Kosgey, the Party National Chairman will not be defending his position in the Party. Mr. Kosgey has never written to the party in regard to these claims and he continues to discharge his duties as he has always done.
He is still the chairman of the party and has stated that he will be standing for re-election as the National Chairman.

The grassroots elections scheduled for March 5th to 8th is for all ODM Members and not a selected few. ODM is and will remain a Democratic Political Party, and the Public knows this fact.

The Party requests the Media personnel to exercise full professionalism and wisdom while dealing with such weighty matters. The Media should seek to clarify on these matters by reaching the Party leader, his deputies, Secretary General, Secretariat or the party’s Communication department.

ODM is a transparent political party and has its doors ever open and will always be ready to clarify on matters. The media should not perceive speculations and allegations against ODM given to them by Members or outsiders to be “Gospel Truth’. It should always look out for clarifications in order to give balanced stories and features to the Public.

Ends.

Philip Etale
Director of Communications-ODM