Raila Odinga moves in to calm jitters after key House leaders are named

NASA leader Raila Odinga addressing a press conference at Okoa Kenya Offices Lavington Nairobi on 18th September,2017.

The Opposition is divided over a line-up of parliamentary leaders that the coalition has submitted to Parliament.

The list of eight MPs named by the National Super Alliance (NASA) to senior positions in the National Assembly and Senate were submitted to the clerks of both Houses yesterday morning, sparking protests within the coalition.

With a storm threatening to cause disharmony, especially after Coast MPs convened a brief meeting to complain that they had been sidelined, reports indicated that NASA leader Raila Odinga had said that two key posts of Minority leaders would stand but the other six would be reviewed.

Raila is said to have supported the naming of his co-principal, Moses Wetang’ula, as Senate Minority Leader and ODM Chairman John Mbadi as National Assembly Minority Leader.

The nominations that could be reviewed include those for deputies of Wetang'ula and Mbadi, the Whips and their deputies. 

In the National Assembly, NASA submitted the names of Mr Mbadi (ODM) as its Minority Leader and Lugari MP Ayub Savula as deputy while Robert Mbui of Wiper was slotted for Minority Whip with Chris Wamalwa deputising him.

In the Senate, Mr Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) has been retained as Minority Leader while Siaya Senator James Orengo has been named as his deputy.

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo’s (Wiper) was named Minority Whip with nominated Senator Petronila Were of Amani National Congress (ANC) set to deputise him.

Mbadi told MPs (Monday) attending an induction at Nairobi’s Intercontinental Hotel that he had received a call from the National Assembly Speaker’s office informing him of his appointment alongside the others to the House leadership.

This revelation sparked angry reactions, with the coalition secretariat disowning the list and a section of MPs from the Coast rejecting the names and demanding their inclusion.

“The leadership of the National Super Alliance (NASA) has not yet agreed on the distribution of positions of the House leadership in both Houses of Parliament (Senate and National Assembly) to members and affiliate political parties,” said NASA chief executive officer Norman Magaya in a statement.

“Therefore, the purported line-up doing the rounds in public, mainstream, and social media with regard to the positions of Minority leaders and their deputies and Minority Whips and their deputies in both Houses has not been sanctioned and/or approved by the leadership of NASA and the Parliamentary Group,” added the statement.

Coast MPs lead by Suleiman Ndori (Msambweni) said the region must be rewarded for overwhelmingly supporting NASA and having majority of its MPs elected on NASA tickets.

“This list shows that the NASA leadership does not recognise our region. The line-up has no individual from the Coast. We reject the entire list and insist that what was agreed at the PG be followed,” said Mr Ndori.

Last week, NASA leaders agreed to go for a retreat to deliberate over the House leadership.

Parties’ strengths

Multiple interviews with NASA MPs revealed deep-rooted fights within the coalition over affiliate parties’ strengths as well as personal interests among members keen on clinching various seats in the two Houses.

There is a general feeling among ODM MPs that they have been disenfranchised by virtue of the fact that their party is the majority, but they are still forced to share slots equally with other coalition partners.

“Members feel that some partners like Ford Kenya have few elected leaders but have managed two slots out of the eight. Wetang’ula is the only Ford Kenya senator and has been awarded the Minority Leader,” said an ODM MP.

The Standard has learnt that most ODM MPs wanted the slots to be filled after the repeat presidential poll. But other parties were opposed to the idea over suspicion that they could be short-changed in the event NASA does not form the next government.

Within ODM, Mbadi is facing a revolt from members who feel his appointment will force them to forfeit their interests for membership of various committees.