Three co-principals of NASA Friday issued an ultimatum to their leader, Raila Odinga, to denounce and reverse a move by his party’s senators to oust Moses Wetang'ula as Senate Minority leader, even as MPs mooted plans for a splinter alliance.
In a move reminiscent of past political alliances, some MPs affiliated to the disaffected co-principals were forging another "alliance" comprising the three affiliates – Wiper, ANC and Ford K — to assume the position of the official opposition. One of its promoters said they were scheduled to hold an inaugural meeting in Kakamega today but Ford Kenya deputy leader Bonny Khalwale dismissed the initiative as immaterial. "We don't know whose agenda they are serving," he said."That agenda was not on the table."
The principals meeting Friday morning were informed that Raila — who was absent — had been kept in the dark by the ODM senators when they tried to oust Wetang'ula on Thursday.
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An aide to one of the three principals privy to the meeting's deliberations told the Star that Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Wetang'ula and Mudavadi would only believe Raila if he prevails upon “his” Senators to reverse the decision and goes public about the matter.
“Wetang'ula informed the two principals that Raila told him that Thursday’s proceedings had been done behind his back,” his aide Mandu Mandu said, adding that the Ford K leader had met Raila a few hours after the ODM senators tried to dethrone him.
“The three principals have reaffirmed their total confidence in Wetang'ula as the Official Leader of the Minority in the Senate. They stand firmly by him; there is nothing more, nothing less,” added ANC secretary general Barrack Muluka, after the meeting.
The three principals held a second meeting attended by some members from their parties, including Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi), ex-Kakamega Senator and Ford Kenya deputy party leader Boni Khalwale, and Muluka, among others.
The meetings went on as Raila, who was in Kisii county attending the burial of renowned academician Professor Tumbo Oeri, reiterated that his decision to work with President Uhuru was painful but necessary for the country to move forward.
Kalonzo, who was hesitant to comment on their meeting, told the Star on the phone that Raila was aware of their meeting since he had spoken to him in the morning.
“We are doing things openly and we have nothing to hide. Raila said he was not aware of what was going on in the Senate. So, it seems certain people are plotting a coup,” he said.
Ford Kenya deputy leader Bonny Khalwale told the Star that it was not the first time that an attempt had been made to block Weta. He recalled that last year, Weta had to protest to Raila after a letter was authored by NASA chief executive Norman Magaya to the Speaker. Then, Kalonzo came to Weta's aid and it was resolved that the position be reserved for him as the only principal in Parliament. He found the plaque on his door had been ripped off.
But Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina confirmed to the Star that the ODM senators behind Wetang'ula’s removal informed Raila about their plan on Thursday after their resolution on Wednesday.
Kina was among 15 of 20 senators who attended the meeting, dubbed the First Senate ODM Parliamentary Group, chaired by Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri.
“We informed the party leader of our decision when we handed over the letter to the Speaker. We decided to take the matter on our own since all other principals are out of Parliament. There is no business of principals in the work of the Senate,” Kina said.
The secret meeting was held at Crowne Plaza, Upper Hill, Nairobi. Five members were absent with apologies, according to minutes sent to Speaker Kenneth Lusaka.
Sixteen of the ODM senators signed for Wetang’ula’s removal at the meeting. Out of 27 NASA senators, Wiper and ANC have three each, while Wetang'ula is the only Ford Kenya senator.
ODM senators feel they were shortchanged in the coalition agreement in sharing seats among affiliate parties, hence their renewed bid to take back the positions as a majority party in NASA and second largest in Parliament after Jubilee Party.
“We think it is best for him [Wetang'ula] to join his other principals,” Kina said. He revealed that they did not discuss reclaiming other positions held by NASA affiliate parties, ODM being the majority party in the coalition and second largest in Parliament.
Lusaka rescued Wetang’ula when he ruled that the motion, though valid, “stands suspended and will not take effect” unless and until he receives official communication of a resolution from the coalition. The ODM senators had sought the replacement of Wetang'ula “with immediate effect”.
He said the NASA leaders have to endorse the decision and its CEO Norman Magaya communicate to him in writing through Minority Whip Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.
Incidentally, Kilonzo Jnr is the one who forwarded the ODM senators' letter to Lusaka ousting Wetang'ula.
AGREED
Kalonzo maintained that the four principals agreed to appoint Wetang'ula to the powerful Senate position last year when they instructed Magaya to communicate the coalition’s decision to the Speaker.
“So, if Raila was not aware and none of the three of us was aware, there is no way one can usurp the authority of the NASA Summit. The authority rests with the Summit. Raila has assured me that he tried to stop the Speaker from communicating that decision,” Kalonzo said.
An agitated Wetang’ula said he would not quit.
“If anyone wants to divorce it will be noisy, messy, unhelpful, and it will have causalities. I’m not going anywhere. I was not invited into NASA, I’m a founder,” an agitated Wetang’ula said on Thursday.
Friction in NASA has intensified since Raila and Uhuru signed a pact to set aside their differences and unite the country, unsettling many political schemes. His NASA colleagues were taken aback by their exclusion from the negotiations, and remain suspicious about the unity deal.
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They have also demanded to meet Uhuru, even after Raila met them on Monday to explain the details of his deal with the President.
Last Wednesday, ODM Chairman John Mbadi told the House: “We are not ready to take blackmail. We committed to this cause and no amount of blackmail will get us off the track."
He said ODM had no apologies when it makes decisions. "When Raila speaks all of us have spoken. ODM has decided it will not take any unnecessary blackmail from now," said Mbadi in remarks aimed at the partners.
The wrangles continued even as it emerged that Dr Martin Kimani and lawyer Paul Mwangi, who were charged with leading the joint secretariat of the unity initiative, will next week hand over their report to Uhuru and Raila.
Lugari MP Ayub Savula, one of the promoters of the new NASA alliance sent out a release about a meeting in Kakamega today. He said they plan to write to the Registrar of Political Parties on Monday to eject ODM from NASA over collaboration with Jubilee.
The three parties have been insisting on a structured dialogue and a supporting legal framework on five issues, including electoral reform and independence of the Judiciary.
Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa attributed the widening cracks in NASA unity to the extraordinary pact between the two top political archrivals.
“Maybe the miraculous handshake between Raila and Uhuru is the one causing this. Let us wait until after the summit discussion, then we will issue the way forward. However, I can assure that everything is under control, there is no alarm. We are not afraid,” he told the Star on the phone.
Mudavadi's aide Kibisu Kabatesi said ODM’s moves of undermining the other NASA parties, including the ouster of Wetang'ula, is a strategy to bolt out of the coalition and renege on the coalition's 2017 pre-election agreement that bars the party from fielding a presidential candidate in 2022.
“We are all ready. We knew a long time ago that ODM has left NASA. NASA remains as a coalition and we will not join the government. We will remain in opposition under the umbrella of NASA,” Kibisu said.
He added that, “Raila is cozying up to Jubilee for purely selfish economic reasons. He lacks a political plan. The Jubilee regime seems to have completely strangled him economically and it is a matter of economic survival.”
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Meanwhile Kakamega governor and deputy ODM party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya met with Jubilee and NASA MPs from the county and resolved to back the deal. Mumias East MP and National Assembly Majority whip Benjamin Washiali led the Jubilee side in a meeting at a Nairobi hotel after which they announced they had agreed to bury the hatchet and work together in tandem with last week’s unity resolve.
“As elected leaders from Kakamega county, we have pledged to influence our people to appreciate the historic handshake,” said Malava MP Moses Malulu who read the joint statement.
Oparanya said ODM has not entered into a coalition with the Jubilee government but was cooperating with it to help unite the country which was sharply divided along political and ethnic lines.
The coalition agreement states that power sharing will be based on founder-member status, portfolio balance and performance.
“Powers will be shared in executive appointments, legislative offices, national government appointments and leadership positions in the legislature that the coalition is entitled to,” the agreement states.