Raila's attempt to save Wetang'ula hits snag

From left) Siaya senator James Orengo, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula converse after addressing the press on 22nd March 2018 at Sarova Panafric Hotel. [Photo by Edward Kiplimo/Standard]

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga's attempt to get senators to rescind their decision to remove Moses Wetang'ula as Senate minority leader has failed, yet again.

After two hours of deliberations, Raila, who met 20 senators from the Opposition alliance in Nairobi yesterday, only managed to convince the lawmakers to convene a retreat within a fortnight.

Raila had convened a crisis meeting just two days after the senators formally removed Mr Wetang’ula and replaced him with Siaya's James Orengo.

Wetang’ula, the Ford Kenya party leader, and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, attended the meeting where, according to sources, the Opposition legislators stuck to their guns.

Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi stayed away, with allies saying he did not want to join a meeting that would not yield any fruit.

“During the meeting, it emerged there were weighty matters that have to be deliberated and we have resolved that the senators will hold a retreat and report to the (NASA) summit within two weeks,” Raila told journalists at the Panafric Hotel.

Asked if that meant that Mr Orengo's election stands, Raila and Kalonzo said an appropriate answer would be available after two weeks.

However, three senators told The Standard separately that Wetang'ula's fate was sealed and not even the retreat could save him.

“We just told our party boss that senators consciously made their decision to remove him and that has been done; there will be no reversal,” one legislator said.

This was the first meeting the NASA summit was holding with senators following the ouster that threatens to break up the coalition.

“We have agreed as NASA that the unity of the coalition is important. All the principals are united, including our colleague Mudavadi, who had a board meeting hence his missing this meeting,” Kalonzo said.

Wetang'ula's removal leaves NASA on the brink given that the three parties - Wiper, Ford-K and ANC - have complained about "harassment" by ODM.

A similar attempt to save Wetang’ula was thwarted by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, who rejected a letter from NASA Chief Executive Norman Magaya on grounds that it did not meet the threshold of Standing Orders.

Mr Lusaka proceeded to accept a letter from Minority Whip Mutula Kilonzo Jr communicating the decision to elect Orengo as the new Leader of Minority.

On Tuesday, Kalonzo requested Orengo to decline the appointment "so that he doesn't go down as the person who collapsed NASA”.