ODM party leader Raila Odinga (centre), flanked by MPs Elizabeth Ongoro (right) and Margaret Wanjiru (left) during a campaign rally in Dandora, Nairobi October 14, 2012. Ms Ongoro has rejected ODM's offer to run for the Ruaraka parliamentary seat January 24, 2013. FILE
By STELLA CHERONO
Posted Thursday, January 24 2013 at 13:41
Posted Thursday, January 24 2013 at 13:41
Nairobi Metropolitan Development assistant minister Elizabeth Ongoro has rejected ODM's offer to run for the Ruaraka parliamentary seat.
Ms Ongoro said she was not interested in the seat and criticised the party’s move to hand the Nairobi Senator ticket to Bishop Margaret Wanjiru. ODM had initially given her the ticket.
“I will not accept the seat because I know that Tom Kajwang’ who has been vying for the seat for three terms won the nominations. He deserves it and my conscience will not allow me to accept it. I am very bitter and I will not allow myself to be used as the instrument of injustice,” Ms Ongoro said.
The former Kasarani MP said that the move by the party had created the impression that it was okay to dump academic dwarfs to the Senator's position.
“If Bishop Wanjiru did not qualify for the gubernatorial position on the ground of academic qualifications, what makes it right for her to vie for any other top position. One wrong cannot be concealed by another wrong," she said.
"What has happened to me is a classic example of discrimination on the ground of tribe and gender. It is sad that this comes at a time when the country is striving to achieve equality.”
The assistant minister said she had not been served with any written notification, but she learnt about the party’s position from the media and was shocked.
“Despite being a party official, no communication has been made to me by any party official, the nomination board or the strategy team. I have campaigned for the senator seat and I won yet Mr (ODM National Election Board chairman Franklin) Bett decided to state that I could not vie for the seat because I am from a certain tribe," she said.
She said despite the party’s move, she will continue supporting Cord presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s bid for State House, saying that his triumph would be advantageous for all members of the Cord affiliate parties.
Ms Ongoro pointed out that she would rather stay without an elective position, than run on a ticket that belongs to someone else who won after using his money and energy to campaign. She said that she would announce her next political move after consulting her supporters and other party members.
Mr Bett on Wednesday said that the awarding of Nairobi Senate Seat to Bishop Margaret Wanjiru instead of Ms Ongoro was done for strategic reasons.
“The decision was reached by the National Executive Committee, which is ODM’s top decision making organ” Mr Bett said.
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