MCAs oust majority leader, defy ODM

Homa Bay MCAs chant solidarity songs in the assembly chambers after officially ousting their Majority Leader Richard Ogindo. [James Omoro/Standard]

Homa Bay MCAs have defied the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and ousted their Majority Leader Richard Ogindo.

On Friday, the MCAs ended a protracted battle on the County Assembly leadership.

In a special proceeding presided over by the Assembly Deputy Speaker Evans Marieba, the MCAs ousted Ogindo and replaced him with Kanyadoto MCA Walter Muok.

Muok was officially confirmed into the office alongside other MCAs who assumed new offices in the new changes.

They include Homa Bay Central MCA Julius Nyambok as deputy Majority Leader. He took over from nominated MCA Ruth Ombura.

The new majority whip is Kakelo Kokwanyo MCA Dan Were who is assisted by Arujo MCA Mary Ojala as his deputy. Were has taken over from nominated MCA Sophie Salim.

Speaking after being confirmed, Muok, Nyambok, Were and Odira promised to unite the MCAs.

Muok said the assembly marked the dawn of consultative leadership. “Today we mark the era of chest thumping and bragging in this assembly leadership. I am going to use my responsibility in uniting MCAs of this assembly,” said Muok.

On his part, Were said the leadership change marked the beginning of transparency in resource utilization in the account assembly. “We have learnt mistakes from the past leadership of this assembly. We will ensure the loopholes are sealed,” said Were.

Nyambok promised to ensure the county assembly workers are salvaged from frustrations they have been undergoing in hands of the past regime.

MCAs Kukuku Miregi (Rusinga Island), Elyphalet Osuri, Charles Awino (Gem West) and Michael Nyang’i (Kochia) argued that the assembly has not been able to undertake its responsibilities effectively due to wrangles which had afflicted for the last one year.

Miregi argued that the division in the assembly made Homa Bay residents disadvantaged. “We are the people who should undertake oversight and legislative roles but these cannot be achieved in a house where each person pools towards opposite directions,” said Miregi.

The MCAs ratified the changes after conducting a poll on September 6.

In what shows the MCAs defied ODM, the party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna wrote a letter to the MCAs, demanding that they reply within seven days on why a disciplinary action should not be taken against them. Sifuna argued that the MCAs had gone against the will of the party. ODM has 58 out of the 60 MCAs in the assembly.

But the MCAs said dismissed Sifuna’s letter arguing that ODM has no mandate to dictate should lead them.