Dadaab MP Farah Maalim has firmly denied allegations that he sought reinstatement as the deputy leader of the Wiper Party.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, Maalim clarified that he discovered his gazettement as deputy party leader through social media.
“For the record, I never asked the Wiper Party to retain me as deputy party leader. It came as a surprise when I read on social media that I was gazetted as the deputy party leader. I have absolutely no intention of retaining the position of deputy party leader in the Wiper Party. I politely decline the offer and will communicate the same to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP),” Maalim stated.
His statement came just hours after the Wiper Party criticized the ORPP for officially recognizing Maalim as the deputy party leader, labeling the action as illegal.
“Wiper is very concerned about the belated gazettement of former party officials, information that is now making headlines even though those appointments have been overtaken by events. A political party must notify the Registrar of such changes. In turn, the Registrar is legally obligated to publish a notice of these intended changes in the Kenya Gazette within fourteen (14) days of receiving the notification,” explained Wiper Party Secretary General Shakila Abdalla.
The Wiper Democratic Movement, led by Kalonzo Musyoka, claimed that it had submitted the necessary notification to the Registrar through email on May 22, 2024, which informed the office of changes in party officials and the office location. The party emphasized that they acted in good faith, expecting the Registrar to adhere to the legal process and publish the changes in a timely manner.
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Abdalla criticized the ORPP’s actions as gross neglect of duty and a breach of the law by the office meant to uphold it. She stated, “Let it be known that the Registrar’s office failed to publish our intention in the Kenya Gazette within the fourteen-day period required by Section 20(1) of the Political Parties Act. It was only on October 4, 2024—four months later—that the Registrar published a notice in the Kenya Gazette, an action that directly contravenes the law.”
The timing of the gazettement has raised suspicions within the Wiper Party. Abdalla noted, “The timing of the gazettement by the Registrar is not lost on us, given the political climate. We firmly believe that it is ill-intentioned and motivated, leading to heightened scrutiny from both mainstream and online media regarding Deputy Party Leader Hon. Farah Maalim and his standing in the party.”
Wiper also mentioned that Maalim had been de-whipped on July 10, 2024, through a unanimous decision made during a National Executive Council meeting. The party confirmed that the formal process to remove Maalim is currently under review by the party’s disciplinary committee, which has contacted him twice, yet he has not acknowledged or responded.
“Once the Disciplinary Committee advises that Hon. Maalim be relieved of his current position and expelled from the party, this decision will require ratification by a special National Delegates Convention (NDC). We will formally communicate this to the public and the ORPP,” Abdalla added.
In light of these developments, Wiper has demanded a public explanation from the ORPP regarding the four-month delay in the gazettement of its party officials.
“We strongly believe that this is not the usual bureaucratic negligence, but a deliberate, indeed intentional obstruction by the ORPP for reasons only known to them. The Wiper Democratic Movement will pursue all legal avenues available to ensure that our rights and those of our members are respected,” the party declared.
