Storm in CORD intensifies over leadership

By FELIX OLICK and JAMES MBAKA

The raging storm in CORD over the opposition’s leadership in Parliament has hit a crescendo, setting the stage for an acrimonious split a year after the polls.

The upcoming by-elections in perceived ODM strongholds have also sparked discontent within the coalition on whether affiliate parties should field candidates.

A number of ODM legislators have now joined the chorus calling for the removal of Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula as Senate Minority Leader and his National Assembly counterpart Francis Nyenze (Wiper) over CORD’s poor performance in Parliament.

Yesterday, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo lifted the lid on the uneasiness in the opposition coalition, insisting that Mr Nyenze was only given the job in an acting capacity and should now relinquish it to ODM.

“Nyenze was to hold that position in a caretaker capacity with the promise that Kalonzo would be back in Parliament. But that is not the case,” the MP told The Standard.

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“The poor performance of CORD in Parliament is reflecting badly on ODM because we are the majority. It’s a fact that ODM should have that position,” he said.

Earlier, in a bare-knuckle attack, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed kicked off the storm calling on Wetang’ula to keep off the by-elections in Nyanza as he blamed the Bungoma Senator for CORD’s lacklustre performance in the Senate.

“Ford Kenya and other CORD affiliates should desist from fielding candidates in ODM strongholds. This tyranny of minority in the CORD coalition must stop. ODM is feeling marginalised in a coalition where they have the numbers,” Junet said.

Dangoreti North lawmaker Simba Arati also insisted that Wetang’ula and Nyenze must take responsibility for CORD’s dismal performance over the last one year.

But the wrangles appear to be shaping up as a supremacy contest within the coalition, with some MPs allied to ODM now demanding fresh negotiations of the pre-election deal that formed the coalition.

However, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party has fired a warning salvo that the new move could mark the beginning of the end of the political marriage.

“That position (Minority Leader) is not a favour. It’s our right because of the role we played in the last General Election,” said Mbooni MP Michael Kisoi.