Nasa principals battle Raila party for share of Sh4.1b

From left: Nasa co-principals Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang'ula at a past event. [Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

A storm is brewing in the National Super Alliance (Nasa) over money given to parties by the Registrar of Political Parties.

The fresh row pits Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party and other Nasa affiliate parties over Sh4.1 billion awarded to the Orange party from the Political Parties Fund by the court recently.

Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper, Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya were reacting to information that ODM will not share the cash with its partners.

This after ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the party was no longer in a marriage with Wiper, ANC and Ford Kenya.

Mr Sifuna argued that there is no basis for sharing the money because the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) and Nasa collapsed when Cord folded to give birth to Nasa.

“Those making noise should know that Cord is defunct. But so far there is no complaint made to us about the money. This is still a rumour. We are yet to receive the cash,” Sifuna said.

Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu, however, said she was yet to receive the Sh4.1 billion from Treasury.

The Court of Appeal awarded the money which had accumulated over the last five years. Justices Otieno Odek and Daniel Musinga ruled that Parliament should pay the money backdated to November 1, 2011 until the arrears are cleared.

“The appellant is entitled in arrears to all monies due pursuant to Section 25(1)(a) of the Political Parties Act from the financial year subsequent the effective date of the Act i.e. arrears from the 2012/13 financial year,” the judges ruled.

Former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama (Wiper), who was a top Cord leader, was categorical that the Sh4.1 billion belongs to ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya.

Formula exists

“We will share this money without debate, question and doubt. A formula on how the three parties are supposed to share the money exists. This money does not belong to ANC and former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto’s Chama Cha Mashinani,” Mr Muthama said.

He added: “We are the top leadership of Cord and we campaigned together in 2013.”

Muthama said the partners were also having a problem with the money that Nasa will receive for the 2018 to 2022 period.

“We are having issues about the money that will be given to Nasa because ODM insists it will share this based on the strength of the parties in the Senate, National Assembly and county assemblies,” he said.

He continued: “We want the money shared according to the Nasa agreement which has a formula different from parties’ strength in Parliament. I urge Kenyans to learn to respect agreements. We should not be quarreling over money. We have a bigger war ahead to focus on as a team.”

ANC Secretary General Barrack Muluka said the discussion of sharing the Sh240 million due to Nasa was on, and he expected ODM to respect the outcome.

“The Nasa agreement says how money will be shared and it is not based on how many senators or MPs a party has. The agreement says that in the event that a coalition partner does not qualify for the money, whoever qualifies shares it among the partners,” Mr Muluka said.

He continued, “We have already written and given a breakdown to the principals on the way forward about the Sh240 million. If the money comes, ANC expects its share. Otherwise we will fight for it until the end of the world.”

He clarified that ANC was not claiming the Sh4.1 billion because it was not a member of Cord.

“There are two sets of money in contestation here. The Sh4.1 billion belongs to Cord and we expect Raila to keep his promise and honour the agreement to share the money with Wiper and Ford Kenya. He should be trusted with these small agreements otherwise we can’t trust him with the whole country,” Muluka said.

Ford Kenya Secretary General Eseli Simiyu said he was confident ODM would share the money.

“From the information I have, it is not true that ODM has refused to share the cash. It is ready to share with Cord partners if and when the money is disbursed. Those with a contrary view are in the minority,” Dr Simiyu said.