ODM MPs plotting coup in House Committees

Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo (left) at a past function. The ODM legislator says they will act on Ford Kenyas threat to leave Nasa coalition. [File, Standard]

Some Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs have started plotting a coup in House Committee to clinch positions held by Ford-Kenya leaders in Parliament.

The move follows Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula's remarks on the National Super Alliance (NASA) being dead, which has generated heated debate among coalition's partners.

The MPs spoke as ODM chairman John Mbadi claimed that even if Ford-Kenya quit Nasa, the alliance will not be dissolved.

Nasa coalition is an amalgamation of Amani National Congress (ANC), Orange Democratic Movement(ODM), Ford-Kenya and Wiper parties.

Mbadi said dissolution of NASA is a long process that will involve convening Nasa National Executive Council (NEC) and National Governing Council (NGC).

Nasa will then proceed to hold a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to formally and legally disband the coalition as guided by the Political Parties Act.

The ODM chairman insisted that if Ford-Kenya is serious that it wants to pull out of the coalition "then it should make good its threat by writing to the Registrar of parties expressing their intention."

''Otherwise we treat statements doing rounds on the social media that NASA is now a shell as premature,'' Mbadi told The Standard in an interview, yesterday.

He said once they receive formal letters to pull out from the Registrar of political parties, then they will act on the Ford-Kenya ad hoc decision.

''At the moment these threats are smoke and mirror theatrics which do not directly and openly for call for political expediency,'' said Mbadi.

He said the Coalition will not tolerate a one sided statement "where someone wakes up in the morning and reacts with emotions that the coalition is moribund or extinguished."

In what is likely to further strain the relationships between Ford-Kenya and ODM leaders, ODM MPs allied to the coalition, said it cannot be intimidated by Wetangula.

''We want to treat the statement made by Wetangula with the contempt that it deserves. If anything we are convinced it was done out of emotion,'' Mbadi asserted

With ODM having majority MPs in Nasa, two MPs Elisha Odhiambo, (Gem), and Samwel Atandi,(Alego Usonga), waded into the debate saying they are tired of Ford-Kenya threats.

''We keep on being threatened by Wetangula and his members that they have either quit NASA or the coalition is dead or headed for political oblivion.

"It is high time now that the Ford-Kenya leaders should make good their threats by taking the necessary legal steps to formally exit the coalition, if they so wish," said Odhiambo.

He added: ''I want to declare my burning interest to take over the post of Deputy Minority whip held by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa of Ford-Kenya,'' he told the press in Kisumu.

Speaking at The Standard office Odhiambo said he would lobby fellow MPs to take the seat.

''We cannot keep on nudging people to stay in a coalition they seem disinterested to stay in. This was a coalition of willing parties,'' he said.

''Let Wetangula prevail upon his MPs and ask them to resign from House Committees and pave way for me and others to take up the job, we are ready,'' said Odhiambo.

ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna had also sent a daring message to the Ford-Kenya Party leader to make formal complaints by writing to the Registrar of Political Parties.

"We remind Wetangula that coalitions are not dissolved at funerals and village barazas. As a senior lawyer he should, write to Registrar to withdraw its name," he said.

He went on to dare Mr Wetangula to ask his party members in parliament to relinquish positions they acquired by the fact that they were in NASA.

The Gem MP claimed that Ford-Kenya boss made only a veiled reference to the famous handshake between Nasa leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

''Why is it that it is only Ford-Kenya complaining while others are quite? saying that they cannot be held at ransom by a fringe party.

Although, the ODM leaders claimed that they did not want NASA to dissolve, circumstances could leave them with little options or choices to decide its future fate.

''Wetangula is reportedly driven by 2022 succession politics alleging that he was suspected to be warming up to the Deputy President William Ruto," said Atandi.

Wetangula sensationally claimed on Monday, that NASA was dead and that his political party was no longer part of the Coalition.

Sifuna and Mbadi claimed Wetangula is still unhappy with NASA and ODM party leader Raila Odinga, who opted to bury the hatchet with President Uhuru Kenyatta during the famous handshake.

Just recently in Kisumu, Amani National Congress Party (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi said the super Alliance was not about to fold despite their differences.

Despite the events of the past three months that have seen some of its leaders criticise Raila for meeting President Kenyatta without involving them, NASA is intact.

He explained that after the discredited 2017 elections, the country found itself at a cross-roads on which way forward to resolve the electoral and governance issues.

''ANC remains dedicated to the NASA Vision of making Kenya a super nation among the nations of the world,'' he said. NASA had its vision for Kenyans.

''Our pursuit for the Nasa vision and dream was stalled by the flawed elections. Our hope and commitment remains. ANC will keep the candle burning,'' he declared.

Mudavadi affirmed NASA was still intact and that they had agreed in principle to embark on pushing for the aforementioned reforms after the elections.