ODM has exerted its dominance in the opposition to retain influential Parliament positions. This has forced the coalition rocked by turf wars to reorganise its entire parliamentary leadership.
In a signal that Opposition chief Raila Odinga is now playing hardball, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party was forced to relinquish a key slot in the Senate to get its position in the lucrative Parliamentary Service Commission.
In the new power lineup, Vihiga Senator George Khaniri will now be the Senate Minority Whip. Khaniri takes over from his Makueni counterpart Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (Wiper), who will now sit in the PSC.
Ideally, the Minority Whip position belongs to ODM, the second largest political party in the Senate after Jubilee.
However, the Orange party initially gave it to Wiper and has now handed it to Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC, following insistence by Wiper in getting one slot in the PSC.
The PSC commissioners are entitled to many privileges, including a Sh40,000 sitting allowance, official cars and have huge say in procurement and recruitment of parliamentary staff.
Whips are also entitled to a higher salary than ordinary MPs, official cars and they have more political clout as they act like their party’s spokespersons in the House. In the new lineup, however, ODM retained MPs Gladys Wanga of Homa Bay and Aisha Jumwa of Malindi in the PSC. Locked out is vocal Borabu MP Ben Momanyi who had been recommended by Wiper for the PSC slot.
But in a tactical move to appease the Gusii community, Raila rewarded Nyamira Senator Okongo Omogeni who will now be the Senate deputy whip. Omogeni takes over from nominated Senator Petronila Were of ANC, who has now been recommended to go to the Speaker’s Panel. It is not yet clear who will relinquish his position for Were.
Will someone please step down?
The coalition had initially settled on Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina and nominated Senator Rose Nyamunga to sit on the Speaker’s Panel.
Minority Leader in the National Assembly John Mbadi said they hoped one of the three leaders would voluntarily step down for Were.
For weeks now, Raila has been planning how to revamp ODM as a formidable political machine amid vicious squabbles in NASA. He has convened an ODM National Executive Committee meeting on Friday this week that will be followed by a bigger convention of the National Governing Council.