Rift in Mudavadi's ANC widens as Osotsi dares to be expelled

Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi (left) arrives at Apostolic Church in Muhudu ward, Hamisi constituency on Sunday. [Eric Lungai, Standard]

The rift in Amani National Congress (ANC) party has widened after a legislator dared the party to expel him.

Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi said the party, led by Musalia Mudavadi, should make good its threat to kick him out and recall him from Parliament.

This came after Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi warned on Sunday that ANC MPs and ward representatives who openly defied Mr Mudavadi would be dismissed from the party and lose their seats in the National Assembly and the county assemblies.

"It has become the norm that when we tell some leaders the truth, you become their enemy as they say you are abusing them. I will not tire of telling ANC the truth. We are asking questions that we want answered for our people,” Mr Osotsi said.

Senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega) and George Khaniri (Vihiga) together with Osotsi are viewed as rebels in ANC for supporting Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s decision to work with the Government.

Osotsi's dare comes a few days after ward reps in Vihiga and Kakamega also dared the party to expel them after they visited Deputy President William Ruto and were issued with warning letters.

Secretary general

But the MP told the MCAs that he was the party’s official secretary general and that they should disregard any other letters written to them on disciplinary matters.

“If you have any letter purporting to have come from the party, it is a false one and you can use it to wrap meat at the butchery. As the party’s secretary general, I have not warned anyone against visiting other leaders in the country,” Osotsi said while addressing a congregation at Apostolic Church in Muhudu ward on Sunday.

He further lambasted Mudavadi and Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula’s efforts to unite the region through a single party, which was yet to materialise.

“After the handshake between Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta, the two leaders told us they would dissolve their parties to form a single party within a month. It is now seven months down the line, and nothing is happening apart from them fighting us,” he said.

Mudavadi recently proposed that Parliament should amend the laws on how to recall an MP so the process could be easier.