'Lack of plan, consultation hurting CORD'

KAKAMEGA, KENYA: Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga’s relationship with Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula may have rubbed a section of ODM Members of Parliament (MPs) in Western Kenya the wrong way.

Mr Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya, which is one of the coalition partners alongside former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper, has come under criticism from a section of leaders, who have expressed displeasure at the manner in which Ford Kenya fraternity and CORD leadership have been treating them especially on decision making matters.

Butere MP Andrew Toboso says while it is good for ODM to work with other coalition partners to strengthen the party, the coalition’s leadership should not take the support from ODM for granted.

Mr Toboso took issue with CORD’s decision to have Ford-Kenya and Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa from Trans Nzoia County as the coalition’s whip in Parliament, as opposed to having an ODM MP.

Budalang’i MP and Parliamentary Accounts Committee chair Ababu Namwamba, who contested for the ODM Secretary General seat in the aborted party polls in March blamed the failure by CORD to clinch the Bonchari seat and a number of civic seats on lack of clear agenda within the coalition.

“We performed badly, not because we are unpopular as a coalition but because each partner fielded a candidate. This is a lesson that as a coalition, we have learnt,” said Ababu. CORD has now lost three by-elections in Kisii County, (Bonchari, Nyaribare Chache, and Bomachoge), which observers say points to its waning influence in the region.

The coalition lost the Bonchari by-election after its flag-bearers John Oyioka (ODM) and Wiper’s Charles Onyancha garnered 6,977 and 5,171 votes respectively, while Ford-People’s Zebedeo Opore won with 10,947 votes.

But Ford-Kenya Secretary General and the Tongaren MP Dr Simiyu Esseli dismissed those displeased with their association with CORD as new comers to coalition politics. “Ford-Kenya is part of CORD. We are both working for Kenyans and those seeking to better their own parties are missing the bigger picture,” he said.

But Funyula MP Dr Paul Otuoma told The Standard on Sunday in an earlier interview that there is need to define ODM’s leadership in the coalition. “Those who want CORD to become a party should give us as ODM, opportunity to declare our stand, whether we want to remain in ODM or join them. They should respect us as the biggest party in the coalition,” said Otuoma.

And as Raila toured the country rooting for the for Saba Saba rally, some MPs made promises which they neither honoured nor bothered to implement while others skipped the rallies, despite being part of the deal from the start. Evidence of the fallout was seen during the Saba Saba rally in Nairobi where a section of ODM MPs who had earlier pledged full support, did not attend. Ababu, for instance, was in Kakamega leading a team of Parliament Public Accounts Committee members. He, however, said his loyalty to ODM is 100 per cent.