NASA split over House leadership posts

NASA legislators led by coalition chiefs Raila Odinga, Moses Wetang'ula and Musalia Mudavadi before addressing supporters at Jacaranda grounds. Parliamentary leadership posts were filled yesterday. [Moses Omusula, Standard]

MPs from two Opposition parties have accused their coalition partner, ODM, of sidelining them when filling parliamentary leadership positions, triggering a revolt.

The submission of a list of names of National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders in the National Assembly and Senate prompted a walkout by Coast Opposition MPs.

The Coast lawmakers accused Raila Odinga’s ODM (Orange Democratic Movement) of shortchanging Wiper Democratic Movement and Amani National Congress (ANC).

Critics argued the list fell short on gender and regional balance, further escalating the month-long standoff that had seen the Opposition fail to name its House leaders.

National Assembly members allied to NASA differed openly, almost ending up in a fistfight. Coast MPs and those from ANC and Wiper ganged up to reject the list, accusing ODM of bulldozing the entire exercise.

Party dictatorship

Speaker Justin Muturi had a difficult time controlling the angry members, who claimed they would not accept party dictatorship.

They shouted and jeered in the House, urging the Speaker to write back to NASA and register their displeasure on the line-up.

“I oppose the list from the start because it has no gender balance. The list was formulated without any consultation among the affiliate parties. There was no Parliamentary Group meeting to endorse the same,” charged Msambweni MP Suleiman Ndori.

He continued: “As Coast MPs we are against it since the list is made up of people from Nyanza alone. It is clear to us, we are nothing in the party.”

His Kilifi North counterpart Owen Mbaya also dismissed the list, saying the Coast region had been marginalised for long and they would not accept to be humiliated in NASA.

“This is the time when we break ranks and we are ready to go our separate ways if our concerns are not addressed,” said Mr Mbaya.

But Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga supported the list, saying those listed by NASA were equal to the task and the gender issue would be addressed in other positions.

“I would advise the discontented members to discuss the matter at the parliamentary group meetings. They should go through the minutes that endorsed the list. My business was only to communicate to the House,” directed Muturi, who declined to be dragged into the matter.

NASA settled on Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) as the minority leader. He will be deputised by Siaya Senator James Orengo of ODM.

Suba South MP John Mbadi (ODM) is the new National Assembly minority leader and his deputy is Kathiani MP Robert Mbui (Wiper). Mr Mbui replaces Lugari MP Ayub Savula (ANC).

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (Wiper) is the Minority Whip in the Senate while Suna East MP Junet Mohammed (ODM) will hold the same position in the National Assembly.

“We regret the list and we are forced to ask Musalia Mudavadi out of NASA we focus on 2022,” said Mr Savula, who is also the ANC deputy party leader.

He accused ODM for betraying their cause even after NASA principals agreed with Raila Odinga only on the positions for Mr Mbadi and Mr Wetang’ula.

Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka yesterday shelved the tabling of the NASA list after Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina protested the naming of Nominated Senator Petronilla Were (ANC) as Mr Kilonzo Jnr’s deputy.

Immediately after walking out of the National Assembly, Coast leaders held a press conference.

“We protest what has happened today. This list has both Junet Mohammed and John Mbadi, all from Nyanza ignoring regional balance and gender. We have complained to Raila and asked for various positions and we openly reject it,” said Mr Ndori.

They vowed to oppose those elected and demanded that they produce the minutes taken to agree on the list, saying the process was not done in a transparent manner.

Borabu MP Bernard Momanyi said: “As a party we are disappointed. We have been short-changed. The same way Raila Odinga does not recognise the election President Uhuru Kenyatta, we don’t recognise the list that has been submitted.”

Internal democracy

The Wiper lawmaker continued: “It is ironical for NASA leadership to claim to be fighting for democracy in the country but on one hand, it is suppressing the same within the party. We do not need loyalty and sycophancy in the House leadership but people who (are) able to represent the Opposition.”

He warned they would not take any instructions from the coalition until the list is withdrawn.

“Unless this list is withdrawn, we are ready to say kwaheri (good bye) to NASA, as we have realised that this is a coalition that lacks internal democracy,” said Momanyi.

Likoni MP Mishi Mboko noted despite Raila championing gender issues, Jubilee had demonstrated its commitment by electing more women to leadership positions than NASA.

“It didn’t happen in the last Parliament and also this one. Some of us have been arrested and detained fighting for baba (Raila) and the party,” said Mishi.

She complained NASA had never held a Parliamentary Group meeting to address the issue, claiming the list and the alleged minutes were generated irregularly.

“We are since realising that we are not being treated as equal stakeholders in NASA. Where are we as women in that leadership list? We want our leader Raila Odinga to realise that we have a stake in this, and we want a list that has gender and regional balance,” protested Mishi.

Mbadi however downplayed the outburst, saying Senator Were was chosen for gender purposes. “We took interest of gender,” he said.