Talks between Raila and Coast MPs end without answer

Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga with Coast ODM leaders speaks to journalists after their meeting at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nairobi on Wednesday. [PHOTO: GOVEDI ASUTSA/STANDARD]

By ROSELYNE OBALA and JAMES MBAKA

Nairobi, Kenya: ODM party leader Raila Odinga and disgruntled Coast MPs failed to reach a compromise as the battle for the party’s top positions intensified.

The former Prime Minister met the Coast MPs behind closed doors for four hours at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi’s Upper Hill, to try and quell the latest storm in the opposition coalition.

The meeting came a day after they warned CORD of dire political consequences should Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro be stripped of his position as Minority Chief Whip.

Instructively, it also came hours after the over 15 MPs from the Coast backed Mr Ababu Namwamba over Dr Agnes Zani, who hails from the region and is reportedly ODM’s top leadership’s preferred candidate for secretary general. 

Namwamba also secured the support of seven ODM MPs from Nyanza for the post of secretary general in the party polls scheduled for February 28. The MPs endorsed Namwamba during a press conference at Parliament Buildings Wednesday, at which they criticised a section of members who have maligned the Budalang’i MP as a Jubilee mole.

Under the banner Pro-Reform Parliamentary Members of ODM, led by Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura, the MPs resolved to unreservedly campaign for Namwamba.

“He has worked tirelessly for the party and has stood as a distinguished generali (general), helping to galvanise support for the party candidate in formations such as ‘Reloaded’ and Tukotayari,” Obura said. “Namwamba has championed his party’s agenda on the floor of the House in the 10th Parliament,” he added.

Raila’s name

MPs Ken Okoth (Kibra), Milly Odhiambo (Mbita), Silvanses Osele (Kabondo Kasipul), David Ochieng (Ugenya), Augustine Neto (Ndhiwa) and George Oner (Rangwe) were present. They told off Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’, who has sparked a storm over his persistent remarks that individuals of questionable loyalty cannot be trusted with the party leadership.

The MPs asked Kajwang’ and his team to stop using Raila’s name to their advantage.

“They should desist from using Odinga’s name to get what they want. Those days are long gone,” said Obura, who had earlier declared interest in the SG’s position but later withdrew his candidature.

And Kilifi County Woman Representative Aisha Jumwa Katana announced that Namwamba is their candidate of choice.

After the declaration, the Coast MPs headed for the meeting with Raila. The talks didn’t reach an agreement and ODM Secretary General Anyang’ Nyong’o and Raila’s aide Eliud Owaro announced the postponement of the agenda to a planned CORD Parliamentary Group meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

This is after differences allegedly emerged when the Coast leaders vowed to remain firm in their demand to have Mung’aro retain his post in the National Assembly.

An MP who attended the meeting but declined to go on record said

Raila was shocked with what turned out to be a strong political statement from the Coast MPs who accused some elements within the coalition of precipitating a political standoff within CORD.

The MP claimed the disagreement stemmed from the decision by some influential leaders in CORD to prop up Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir to replace Munga’ro.

“We are solidly in CORD, but what we told Raila was that some ‘foreign’ people were trying to realign the political landscape of the Coast with the intention of securing political capital at the expense of our own unity,” the MP said after the meeting, which was also attended by Mung’aro.

But Raila told the Press the meeting was a consultative forum and dwelt on a variety of issues which affect the Coast region and CORD as a family. “This was purely a consultative meeting with leaders from the Coastregion on various issues affecting them, we have also talked about the raging insecurity situation at the Coast and condemned the recent barbaric attacks at a mosque,” he said.

“We have talked but it is our feeling that the issues we were raising should be taken for deliberation at the CORD Parliamentary Group meeting next week on Tuesday,” said Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadegu.

Obura took a swipe at the Kajwang’-led team, which he claimed had sensed defeat and was resorting to threats and intimidation.

Fair play

“Namwamba is not riding on anyone’s name. He has won our admiration and trust,” he said.

Odhiambo urged the Kajwang’ led team to allow for a fair playing ground. “Threatening members and misleading the public will not take them anywhere. We have weighed between Namwamba and Zani and though both are good, Namwamba is excellent,” Odhiambo said.

 “The former PM is on record stating that he has no preferred candidate or list of candidates and has encouraged all contestants to confidently seek for votes without any intimidation of favouritism. He also asked members to refrain from creating discord in the party by branding members as disloyal without proof,” said Obura.

He regretted that the issue of members branding others as disloyal has since created dissenting voices from the Coast. “We can see what this is doing to us as a party,” he said.

Coast leaders stood firm behind Mung’aro and maintained there is no compromise on the matter.

Rashid Juma Bedsimba (Kisauni) and Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe) stressed that they had resolved to stand with Mung’aro and urged the party to oblige.

“He will not be removed. If he made any mistake he should be told and given a chance to defend himself,” said Mwinyi, after a meeting at the Parliamentary Dinning Hall.

He continued: “Mung’aro worked as a team with others including Minority Leader Francis Nyenze, deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo and his Deputy Chief Whip Chris Wamalwa. They are all to blame for the dismal performance in the House.”

He warned that replacing Mung’aro on the basis of him being a Jubilee sympathiser held no water because in Parliament all are friends irrespective of political affiliation.