• Wiper official regretted that ODM has consistently attacked and disrespected Wiper and its leadership with no apparent aggression.
• On Monday, ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna alleged that the Kalonzo-led party had plotted a coup against Raila's handshake deal with Jubilee.
Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper party has accused ODM of attempting to scuttle its deal with the ruling Jubilee party.
On Tuesday, Wiper national vice chairman Victor Swanya said while the party has made its decision to work with Jubilee within the law as an independent entity, ODM was still casting "hostile aspersions".
Swanya regretted that ODM has consistently attacked and disrespected Wiper and its leadership with no apparent reason.
“Wiper's decisions have followed the constitution as well as the Political Parties Act. We have laid all our cards on the table and involved respective organs in decision-making,” Swanya said.
He added, "Both Wiper and Jubilee engaged each other with a view to uniting the country."
The politician pointed out that the approval for a coalition agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee party was endorsed by the National Executive Council and the National Governing Council.
“Throughout the process, there has been no secrecy. It has been an open process. It is regrettable that ODM views our openness as a coup plot,” he said.
On Monday, ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna alleged that the Kalonzo-led party had plotted a coup against Raila's handshake deal with Jubilee.
Sifuna said the move is in bad taste and is aimed at undermining Raila's party.
“Everything that Kalonzo and Wiper do is meant to undermine ODM. That is their modus operandi,” Sifuna said.
He said Wiper is rushing to seal the deal with Uhuru “thinking that they can now play host to us in the arrangement”.
Raila's ODM has stated that it would not sign any pact with Jubilee but vowed to support the President's agenda in and outside parliament.
ODM officials have accused coalition partners of killing their 2017 coalition Nasa by plotting pacts with the ruling Jubilee party but vowed to push on without any 'political baggage'.
However, Wiper, which in May signed a cooperation agreement with Jubilee, is seeking to ratchet the deal into a full-blown coalition pact ahead of the 2022 polls.
The rush for the President's attention ahead of the 2022 polls has rendered the Nasa coalition dysfunctional.
Musalia Mudavadi's ANC has declined to enter into a formal arrangement with Jubilee and declared it will continue to play a 'loyal' opposition role.
But Swanya warned that ODM's attacks on Wiper are motivated by vendetta and sour grapes.
"If there is a party that is seeking to suffocate President Uhuru's national unity agenda then it is ODM. There is no way ODM can advocate for national unity but then fight partners joining hands with the President,” Swanya said.
Edited by R.Wamochie