ODM has dismissed claims that it neglected ailing NASA CEO, Norman Magaya, noting that it is aware of his health situation.
The Party said that it had met all Mr Magaya’s requests for support and that he has no pending hospital bills.
ODM added that it would go out of its way to support Mr Magaya, albeit silently while asking Kenyans to respect his privacy.
The ODM Party is aware that Nasa CEO Norman Magaya has been unwell. We continue to support him in every possible way and wish him quick recovery. Every request for support has been dealt with as and when received by the party.
— The ODM Party (@TheODMparty) September 3, 2019
The Party’s Secretary-General, Edwin Sifuna, visited Mr Magaya during his most recent hospitalization and noted that the latter had no pending hospital bills.
2)… To the best of our knowledge, no pending bill exists. The SG @edwinsifuna visited with him during his most recent hospitalization and confirmed the same with Mr Magaya. He would ordinarily contact the party if there were any such bills as he has always done.
— The ODM Party (@TheODMparty) September 3, 2019
ODM’s reactions follow claims by a blogger, who alleged that all had not been well for Mr Magaya since he collapsed at Bomas of Kenya, during the counting of the 2017 presidential votes.
According to the blogger, the NASA CEO, since that incident has been battling a heart condition arising from that incident, sometimes spending months in the hospital.
5/ The Bomas incident is well known to the people who should know; and it is generally understood that it was not natural. Magaya must have been poisoned. Or something more terrible happened there.
— DD (@Disembe) September 2, 2019
He claims that Mr Magaya may have been poisoned due to his hard stance against the Jubilee government during the 2017 campaigns.
6/ Right now Magaya is so weak and thin; the body wasted by whatever it is that happened to him at Bomas, the spirit stung by the disloyalty, the isolation and the neglect by the political class he dutifully served.
— DD (@Disembe) September 2, 2019
“Right now Magaya is so weak and thin; the body wasted by whatever happened to him at Bomas, the spirit stung by the disloyalty, the isolation and the neglect by the political class he dutifully served,” he said.
The blogger alleged that Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is fully aware of Mr Magaya’s plight and that he had directed that Orange House takes charge of the matter and ensures he gets the support he needs.
Disembe, however, accused ODM Executive Director Oduor Ongwen of “dithering on the issue and not giving the kind of leadership needed to ensure Magaya’s condition gets the attention it requires”
18/ Oduor Ong’wen knows Comrade Norman Magaya is in bad shape. He also knows when he had the energy and the health; none was a more dependable comrade than Magaya.
— DD (@Disembe) September 2, 2019
After the blogger’s revelations, Kenyans on Twitter asked for a Paybill number to help support Mr Magaya.
Mr Ngunyi termed Mr Magaya as a bright political strategist who gave Jubilee a hard time during the 2013 presidential elections.
He said that the country needs Mr Magaya healthy for future political battles in the country.
Mutahi Ngunyi said: When enemies unite, it means the fight was just a sport. “Norman Magaya” was an ODM irritant whose cleverness we could not match. we need him healthy for the next duel. where do I send my donation? Wapi Paybill number?
Dennis Itumbi tweeted: Norman Magaya, knew loyalty, spin and worked hard. He also ensured politics did not interfere with friendship. Leta Paybill tusaidie yeye.