ODM wrangles continue to rock county assembly

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera (right) and Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa. [Courtesy]

Azimio la Umoja’s leadership wrangles in the Kakamega County Assembly are far from over as more than 46 Kakamega Azimio and Kenya Kwanza Members of County Assembly (MCAs) hit out at the ODM Central Committee for what they term interference with the assembly leadership.

Fresh wrangles have emerged after the party organs insisted on change of leadership of the majority side, directing Speaker James Namatsi to effect the changes.

Shianda/Marenyo MCA Geoffrey Ondiro is to be the new Majority Leader replacing Philip Maina (Marama West) who had earlier been ousted by the party, according to party organs.

However last week ODM Central Committee said it had summoned Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, Speaker Namatsi, and embattled Majority Leader Maina stating it will issue a date for the three for frustrating implementation of the directive to have new house leadership.

On Saturday Governor Barasa who is Kakamega ODM County Chairman accompanied by Azimio La Umoja Kakamega MCAs during a burial function in Shinyalu hit out at the ODM Central Committee for what they term as overstepping their mandate.

“The Speaker does not belong to ODM, he is non-partisan so I don’t see how you can summon him as a party. I have not seen any county where the Central Management Committee (CMC) is dictating who should sit in which committee,” said Barasa.

In a statement signed by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna earlier this week, the CMC noted that the Party’s directive to replace CPA Philip Maina with Geoffrey Ondiro has repeatedly been frustrated.

“The committee has therefore resolved to summon the County Governor, Speaker, and the Majority leader, Philip Maina, to appear before it on a date to be communicated,” it reads in part.

The Standard established that Mr Namatsi was reluctant to effect the changes after Maina moved to court and secured orders stopping the changes by the Orange party.

However, the County boss further questioned the rationale for the party to change the majority leader from CPA Philip Maina to Geoffrey Ondiro.

He also faulted the party for dictating and getting involved in how members of the County Assembly are assigned committees.

“The Majority leader is elected by all MCAs and from my record the one elected is Philip Maina, there’s another one who claims to be the majority leader, who voted for him? You cannot be fronted in funerals by around ten MCAs and then you say you are the leader,” he said.

The issue of majority leader has been an ongoing tussle that has seen each of the two leaders proclaim themselves as the leader in events.

Deputy Speaker Benard Shitiabayi warned Sifuna from being used and misadvised to use his position as SG to settle political scores in Kakamega.

“I have a lot of respect for my party secretary general but on this one, I beg to differ. Let the county Assembly run its business on autonomy without political interference,” Shitiabayi said.

Both Maina and Ondiro hail from the Butere constituency- this has led to several MCAs questioning CS Wycliffe Oparanya’s involvement in the wrangles.

“We know our CS for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya is actively involved in these changes because he wants Ondiro who is his area MCA to be the majority leader but we shall not accept such selfish changes to be imposed on us,” an MCA said.

“When Oparanya was the Governor ODM never decided on who to become the majority leader, did ODM ever summon the Speaker and did ODM ever have a say on who sits in what committee? But why is it happening now during Barasa’s time?” Another MCA paused.

Shinoyi Shikomari MCA Bonface Akosi (MCA) urged ODM to appoint a team that will solve the wrangles within the party stating the move has halted smooth operations of the house.

“We want governor to be given time to deliver if ODM thinks the party has an issue let it appoint a team the way it appointed a team of people to solve party wrangles in Kilifi because it is becoming difficult for the Azimio leadership to work effectively due to the wrangles,” said Akosi.

Mayoni ward representative Fredrick Watitwa (UDA) asked the ODM leadership to settle their wrangles and give the governor space to work for the people stating despite belonging to UDA, he will support the embattled Speaker.

“Namatsi is being unfairly targeted to achieve ulterior political motives and it is a wider scheme to destabilize Governor Barasa from achieving his six points agenda and working for the people and we won’t allow it to happen,” said Watitwa.