ODM official claims Sh1.5b meant for party’s presidential runoffcampaign was squandered

Aggrey Odanga

Standard; Tuesday, February 4th 2014

BY ALLY JAMAH

NAIROBI, KENYA: A top ODM official has threatened to go to court to stop the forthcoming party election if outgoing officials do not account for Sh1.5 billion that had been set aside for presidential campaigns during last year’s General Election.
Aggrey Odanga, who was fired as ODM Commissioner in western region, warned that the campaign funds had not been accounted for until now, including the money set aside in case there was a presidential run off.

“The amount in question was approved by the party and set aside but according to party officials that I have talked to, ODM is broke. I am privy to information that the money may have been squandered after the Supreme Court dismissed Raila Odinga’s presidential petition,” he claimed.
He added: “The election should be postponed to facilitate housekeeping but if the party declines to put off the election and address the above issue, I will move to court seeking to stop the party from convening the National Delegates Conference. I have already held discussion with my lawyers and what is remaining is for the party to act or I act.”
Mr Odanga called for an urgent audit of the party’s accounts before the elections are done to ensure that the new office bearers know exactly what they are inheriting. Failure to that, he warned, he would go to court to stop the election until the matter is sorted out conclusively.
“The party belongs to members and they must know its records of accounts and those found to have misappropriated the money should be arrested and arraigned in court,” he said.
ODM national elections are slated for February 28, at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi with competition for various party posts having turned almost into a stampede.
It is not clear whether Odanga has an axe to grind, since he was dismissed last week from the position of commissioner.