LEFT: Incumbent Umoja 2 MCA Joseph Ndonji | RIGHT: ODM Umoja 2 Ward Party Nominations Winner Shadrack Machanje Incumbent Umoja 2 ward MCA Joseph Ndonji is now being accused of using the Courts to scuttle the chances of the ODM party nominating a person of their choice in the upcoming general election.
Ndonji who was beaten in the Party primaries and who is hugely unpopular in Umoja 2 has been camping at the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) which seems to be siding with him even when it's clear that the tribunal should not micromanage party affairs.
Ndonji has bragged that Machanje, a former tout, will vomit the ODM certificate. "Hiyo Certificate ata akimeza nitaitoa Kwa tumbo" , he was heard boldly bragging.
Today morning the tribunal barred ODM from forwarding Shadrach Machanje's name to the IEBC on the grounds that he has not been a member of the party for more than two years but directed the ODM central Committee to resolve the issue.
In a shocking twist of events, the Tribunal made a questionable finding that ODM should not forward Machanje's name to the IEBC despite the party handing him a direct nomination.
The tribunal seems to be on a mission to lock out Machanje from the nominations because even the first time that Ndonji rushed to Court they gave him ex parte orders without granting him a fair hearing.
However, aggrieved residents have faulted the tribunal saying that Deputy President William Ruto, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku and former speaker Beatrice Elachi were cleared despite joining their respective parties late in the day. "If this is the case even Ruto should not be vying. Ole Lenku and others joined their parties late, this issue was not even raised in the petition, why would the members of the tribunal bring this up " , they asked.
They have accused the tribunal of imposing an unpopular candidate on them through Ndonji who is known for using underhand tactics to win Court cases. "This is the most ridiculous ruling we have ever heard. This is the second time that the PPDT is referring the dispute to the party. How can the tribunal dictate to the party who should be given the certificate when the party has its own rules?" others posed.
The Umoja 2 ward nominations have been very contentious and have attracted the attention of the ODM top brass which is keen on having a clean and flawless nomination process.
Residents of the populous ward have hailed the top ODM leadership for adhering to a democratic process.
It's important to note that during his term Ndonji was hardly accessible to voters which are viewed as one of the main reasons behind his unpopularity on the ground.
The tribunal has consistently ruled in favour of Ndonji despite the fact that under law ODM party has the right to nominate the person of their choice.
Even while the County Assembly has failed to articulate issues of the party and further the ODM agenda during the impeachment process of former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, he voted against the party during the process.
Umoja 2 residents have questioned the ruling made by the tribunal where it stated that Machanje was not qualified to participate in the primaries because he has not been in the party for more than 2 years.
The tribunal out of its own motion pointed out that according to ODM rules Machanje should have been a member of the party for more than two years even when the issue was not raised in the main petition
The party will now decide how it will settle the dispute following the Court's directive that they resolve the dispute within 48 hours.
Shadrack Machanje, who is an Ummoinner Sacco Manager had trounced Ndonji with 249 votes compared to his 163 votes.
Ndoji is a man never too far from publicity.
Last year, he was in the limelight after he was charged alongside his goons for assaulting a pastor.
Ndonji was accused of harming Jared Ouma Aruwa by kicking and punching him on May 30, 2019, at Kwa Miti along Manyanja Road in Tena Estate.
The MCA was arrested on November 21, 2019, but later released on a Sh5,000 police cash bail.
Arwa reported that he was walking to a hardware shop along Manyanja Road to buy paint at around 11 am when the MCA, who was inside a vehicle, called out his name.
He said the MCA angrily asked him why he was frustrating his development projects by destroying electric poles that he had put up.
Aruwa maintains that he never vandalised the electric poles.
He said Ndonji grabbed him by the shoulders and started to kick him, forced him to stand while shaking him and forced him to admit that he was behind the destruction of the poles.
Protests rocked Umoja Two Ward on April 23rd when supporters of Machanje lit bonfires, waved placards and chanted slogans of protest against the party’s reluctance to issue a certificate to him. @zowan254 Umoja 2 Residents Protest Incubent MCA Joseph Ndonji's Attempts To Subvert Shadrack Machanje's Win In ODM Nominations ♬ original sound - Zowan254