People's Assembly proposes a push for the creation of Prime Minister position

Opposition leader Raila Odinga. Photo: Courtesy

The National Super Alliance (NASA) is planning a convention before the end of the month to approve a number of radical proposals.

The proposal - as per the roadmap by the coalition's People’s Assembly Organising Committee - entails a power-sharing arrangement that suggests the creation of a prime minister position as the fall back plan should the presidential elections planned for August fail.

Also in their sleeves is the push to have a rotational presidency that will bar Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions from the seat in the near future to allow other communities chance to lead the country as a way of enhancing cohesion.

In the rotational presidency, the NASA committee has envisaged that no community should rule continuously to give equal chances to all of Kenya’s more than 40 tribes.

SELF-DETERMINATION

The first inaugural convention that will bring together People's Assembly representatives and install NASA leader Raila Odinga as the People's President after his swearing-in on January 30, has also lined up the option of self-determination in their wider plans.

While addressing mourners yesterday during the funeral of Lenno Mbaga Mwambura at Bodoi in Kikambala, Kilifi County, NASA deputy leader Kalonzo Musyoka said they will not relent until the three-point agenda is actualised.

Prof Lenno was Makueni First lady Nazi Kuvutha's brother.

“There is no turning back. We must make sure that not again will elections be stolen and people ruled by force. Our coalition is determined to slay the dragon of electoral injustice," said Kalonzo.

The People's Assembly Organising Committee has highlighted the fight for electoral justice, restructuring the state and strengthening and defending devolution as its key agenda. NASA will hold five pending regional assembly meetings across the country ahead of the inaugural convention in Nairobi.

The committee is led by David Ndii and includes Judy Sijeny, Hamida Kibwana, Mutakha Kangu, Oduor Ong’wen, Koitamet Olekina and Peter Mathuki.

Ndii said their actions are insulated by law. “The Constitution leaves citizens free to decide how to exercise sovereignty directly. Our answer to this is the People’s Assembly,” he said.

It is not clear if Raila will unveil his Cabinet during the convention. He is, however, expected to roll out his plans as the People's President.

“The convention will inaugurate the national leadership that will support the People’s President in this most solemn of national duties. We may not necessarily want to call it a Cabinet, but they will be individuals that will guide the running of the assembly,” Dr Ndii told Sunday Standard.

Kenyans will be informed of the dates and venue three to four days to the convention, Ndii said. The convention, he added, will lead to presidential elections under new electoral laws by August this year.

The committee has lined up meetings in Kisii, North Eastern and Jubilee Party strongholds of Mt Kenya and Rift Valley. The team has already covered Western, Coast, Lower Eastern and Nyanza. 

Even as the plans for the convention hit top gear, Sunday Standard has learnt that NASA co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang'ula have launched a strategy to mitigate the backlash from their strongholds following their no-show at Raila's swearing-in.

The two are using their close lieutenants to convince their supporters that lack of proper consultations led to their absence.

At a strategy meeting held in Naivasha and which was chaired by former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, the leaders agreed to take the war to Raila's doorstep by claiming the ODM leader swore himself in against the wishes of his co-principals who wanted the event postponed.

Khalwale led a 10-member team to a retreat in Naivasha to receive the report of the special technical team advising Ford Kenya and Amani National Congress (ANC) on the recent events in NASA. The technical team was unknown to the public.

Others at the meeting were MPs Sakwa Bunyasi (Nambale) and Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini), ANC Secretary General Barack Muluka, Eric Wafuko and lawyer Eunice Lumala.

Khalwale tweeted about the event but deleted the tweet shortly thereafter.

The group discussed the controversial swearing in of Raila in the absence of the other co-principals, raising questions whether there was an agreement among the four leaders.

JUBILEE SYMPATHISERS

They questioned whether Raila's move to swear himself in was a strategy to paint his co-principals as cowards.

“But how could cowards have gone to such a length to stand with their friend Raila right from shelving their ambitions in 2017, accepting to support him and standing with him through a period in which they witnessed what seemed to be a takeover at NASA by legal and militant groups?” the committee wrote in their report.

However, a group of legislators from ANC, led by Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi and Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, said the group were Jubilee sympathisers out to wreck the party.

"We know them. They eat with Jubilee at night and lie to our supporters that they are with NASA during the day. Their days are numbered and we will expose them. I dare them to defect to the ruling party and seek fresh mandate," said Osotsi.