NASA moves to counter Jubilee's new war chest in Nyanza

ODM Secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi Photo:Courtesy

NASA leaders are reading mischief in a recent move by Jubilee-leaning politicians and professionals to convene meetings in Nairobi ostensibly to discuss economic empowerment of Nyanza.

A meeting held at a Nairobi hotel on Friday sent tongues wagging, with Nyanza politicians claiming it was a panicked response by Jubilee wary of the People’s Assembly agenda being pursued by the opposition.

ODM Secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi and Kisumu Senator Fred Outa said they were aware of Jubilee’s plans to use money to discredit the leadership of Nyanza counties.

The leaders told Sunday Standard that the agenda of the Friday meeting was to scuttle NASA’s efforts to block President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term. NASA leader Raila Odinga wants fresh elections held. Four counties in Nyanza did not take part in the October 26 repeat elections.

The Nyanza leaders claimed that Jubilee was working overtime to ensure that the ongoing product boycott by NASA supporters does not succeed in the region.

“We know everything they are planning but those are busy bodies seeking relevance. They should be ignored,” said Wandayi. He added: “History is replete with examples of such cases. Out of their selfish interests, some people would join the oppressor against the oppressed and attempt to revise history.

The Friday forum dubbed Nyanza Empowerment Dialogues was attended by Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju, former Assistant minister Danson Mungatana, former Nyeri Woman Rep Priscila Nyokabi, former Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba and Jubilee strategist Peter Kagwanja.

Tuju spoke out their initiative. “There are lots of conspiracies in Nyanza that no one is bold enough to talk about. When one comes out to speak about it, they become marked men and women,” he said.

Speakers at the forum criticised NASA’s latest assaults on the government through product boycotts targeting Safaricom, Brookside and Bidco products.

But Wandayi and Outa questioned why the meeting meant to empower Nyanza was being held outside the region and without local leaders attending.

“Here in Nyanza, we have leaders and distinguished professionals who can speak on empowerment of their people. It's not Namwamba, Nyokabi and Kagwanja,” said Outa. The senator accused the conference organisers of using state resources to demonise residents and leaders of Nyanza.

Namwamba said they had convened the forum to tell the people of Nyanza the truth about the political crisis facing the country. He criticised opposition leaders for snubbing the forum.

One of the youths who attended the meeting and who requested anonymity said similar meetings would be held in the coming weeks, including one in Kisumu in two weeks' time.

“One of the objectives is to convince NASA supporters to shun the product boycotts and reject plans for civil disobedience.  Many jobless youths have been recruited into this movement,” he said.