The fledgling National Resistance Movement could implode even before it takes shape or form, after self-styled General Miguna Miguna yesterday accused his colleagues of trying to upstage him.
In the first clear signs that the house is on fire, Miguna charged at NASA strategist David Ndii and chief executive Norman Magaya, accusing them of overstepping their mandate or at least trying to usurp the leadership of NRM, which he claims.
The National Resistance Movement has metamorphosed from an amorphous front charged with the boycott of products of companies alleged to have had a hand in bungling the August 8 presidential election to become the face of resistance to the Jubilee administration.
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NRM was formed on October 25, on the eve of the repeat Presidential election, boycotted by NASA.
Miguna has been its face, while Ndii has been leading the People's Assembly coordinating committee wing of NASA, both of which find convergence in their rejection of the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and the recognition of Raila Odinga as the bona fide “People’s President”.
In a letter to Ndii and NASA CEO Norman Magaya, Miguna accuses the duo of trying to impose leadership on the popular outfit without consulting him as the 'leader'.
“You have apparently announced that you will unveil the NRMKe ‘constitution and president’s council’. I have no idea what these are except to reiterate the point that movements aren’t NGOs or political parties and they don’t have written constitutions for very good reasons,” Miguna wrote.
“Liberation wars are not fought and won on deception and opportunism. I will not allow you to impose yourselves on the NRMKe,” he charged.
Miguna accused NASA chief executive Magaya of being a mole in the Opposition and “silently cutting deals” with the Jubilee administration.
“Magaya is actively working for Jubilee. He took Sh30 million to withdraw the petition against Sonko in retaliation for his failed nomination to EALA. He had vowed to ‘revenge against Raila’ after that. H.E. Raila Odinga himself told me about it,” Miguna claimed.
“Ndii opposed the swearing-in and threatened to lead a walkout from NASA of Kalonzo, et al. Now that their schemes have flopped, they have conspired to sabotage the NRMKe. We shall not permit it!” he added.
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Raila coined the NRM as a vehicle for the coalition's push for electoral justice and civil disobedience as he piles pressure on Uhuru for fresh presidential polls in August.
After his dramatic arrest and deportation, Miguna announced on arrival in Canada that he was the leader of the NRM, operating as a wing of NASA.
The coalition has gone to court to challenge the purported proscription of the movement by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on February 1.
Also in court is an application to reverse the revocation of Miguna’s Kenyan passport, even though High Court judge Luka Kimaru last week declared his deportation null and void.
In his letter Miguna announces that he will be starting a global NRM campaign launch from this week, meeting NASA members in what he terms an effort to dislodge Uhuru and his Jubilee administration from power.
But Magaya yesterday dismissed Migunta’s tantrum.
“It’s ridiculous. How do you withdraw a case when you are not an advocate on record or a party to it? That’s insane,” Magaya said of Miguna’s claim that he was paid money to withdraw the petition against Sonko.
“We shall not engage with Miguna at all. He is looking for a fight and nobody is thinking of engaging him,” Magaya said, adding, “I will not dignify his accusations with a response.”
He went on: “I don’t think I have anything to prove on my role in NASA to anyone; it speaks for itself. Miguna cannot put me on the defensive.”
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Miguna also accused the NASA strategist of being a stumbling block on the eve of Raila's oath. He claims, Ndii was among the anti-oath forces in NASA, despite projecting a public posture of those who supported the Uhuru Park ceremony.
Miguna points out that Ndii opposed the swearing-in in his presence. But Ndii dismissed Miguna's claims, saying they only agreed on how the swearing-in would be done and not on whether the same was right or not.
“It is true the coalition disagreed on the much-publicised swearing in as the People’s President. We disagreed on how and not whether.
"I opposed other schemes like swearing him outside the country or in a secret ceremony Besigye [Kizza] style," Ndii told the Star on Sunday.
Ndii maintained he insisted on broad consensus in the NASA coalition and public participation, saying it was how the matter was handled.
“Which was better is for history to judge,” he said.
Magaya dismissed Miguna’s claims of Jubilee links, saying his record is known and he need not defend himself.
“NASA supporters know who I am. They know what I stand for. They know my principles. They have been with me for eight years. They know it all. I don’t need to justify anything,” Magaya told the Star.
Head of People's Assembly coordinating committee secretariat Noah Akala came to the defence of the duo over Miguna’s allegations.
“Ndii is the chairman of the strategy committee and a member of the People's Assembly organising committee. Magaya is the CEO of NASA. Both have been formally appointed to these positions and have served for periods over five years. There is no doubt in the minds of the leadership of NASA as to the commitment of these two individuals,” Akala said.
“As NASA and People’s Assembly, we remain focused on electoral injustice, anything else is sideshows,” he said.
The NRM tussle over leadership adds to Raila’s long list of headaches that are threatening the alliance unity even as it struggles to hold together in the face of deep cracks caused by the January 30 swearing-in.
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The principals have put on a show of unity, despite the simmering differences among the affiliate parties heightened in the last three weeks by the disputed sharing of positions in the Parliamentary Service Commission. The parties were yet to agree on the matter by yesterday, ahead of today’s deadline set by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
“When we agree I will communicate. I have not communicated; that means we have not agreed,” Mbadi told the Star on the phone.
Mbui, also Wiper's organizing secretary, has defended Kalonzo’s move to demand the slot on grounds Jubilee, ODM and his party are the only ones that qualify for PSC representation.
ODM's National Executive Committee and the National Governing Council meet on Thursday, where insiders say crucial decisions will be made on the party's relationship with other NASA affiliates.