This archive report was first published on 2 October 2019.
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa's return to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is imminent, according to party insider Junet Mohamed.
Speaking to the Nyakundi Report, Mr Mohamed revealed that the settlement was reached in County Hall, where ODM leader Raila Odinga had a brief meeting with Ms Jumwa.
“Mr Odinga had left the plenary meeting briefly before bumping into Ms Jumwa, who was on her way to the office,” Mr Mohamed said. “The two exchanged pleasantries and she told PM [Raila] that she wants to come back to the party. She said circumstances conspired to push her out of the party but she wanted to return to the fold. I have organised a meeting between her and the party leader as she is welcome to ODM.”
Ms Jumwa has been ODM's biggest adversary in the Coast region, but it appears she is now willing to mend fences with the party.
However, Ms Jumwa has denied allegations that she had endorsed ODM's candidate in the Kibra by-election, Bernard Otieno Okoth, alias Imran. She also denied dumping Deputy President William Ruto's Tangatanga camp.
Ms Jumwa's version of the story is that it was Mr Odinga and Mr Mohamed who barged into her office uninvited after their meeting, which was held a few steps from her Parliamentary Service Commission office located at County Hall.
Ms Jumwa rubbed ODM the wrong way when she defied the party and rallied behind DP Ruto for the presidency in the 2022 elections.
Efforts by ODM to remove the MP from the party were futile as she is now seen as Mr Ruto's main campaigner in the Coast region.
Ms Jumwa is a key figure in the Inua Mama group comprising women MPs vouching for Mr Ruto to succeed President Kenyatta when his second and final term expires in 2022.
Mr Odinga used ODM's parliamentary group meeting at County Hall to rally his troops behind the Building Bridges Initiative and the ODM Kibra candidate.
After the meeting, photos of Mr Odinga with Ms Jumwa flooded social media, with reports that she was contemplating mending relations with the party.
Ms Jumwa was expelled from ODM in March by the party's National Governing Council for gross misconduct.
