Disgruntled Coast MPs meeting to discuss Raila bump into him in hotel

ODM leader Raila Odinga leaves a Nairobi hotel after holding a meeting with party MPs from Nyanza region, Tuesday. [PHOTOS: COLLINS KWEYU/STANDARD]

By JAMES MBAKA

Mombasa, Kenya: CORD co-principal Raila Odinga Tuesday walked into a meeting with close allies at a Nairobi hotel where, coincidentally, 15 MPs from the Coast were issuing an ultimatum to the opposition coalition.

The MPs warned of dire political consequences if a scheme by the party to strip Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro of his position as Minority Chief Whip is carried through.

They claimed the plot, which stems from the falling out in ODM over allegations of Jubilee moles planted to wreck the opposition from within, was sealed at the recent retreat in Naivasha.

The Coast MPs, who spoke on a day the 11th Parliament resumed sittings for the second session, warned they would reconsider their association with CORD if Mung’aro was removed from the coalition’s position.

As the MPs fired the warning shot, it emerged that Raila was at the same venue, the China Plate Restaurant, with four MPs from Luo Nyanza. The region’s ODM MPs have caused a commotion ahead of the party polls, with claims they had been unfairly elbowed out of the race.

Yesterday, Raila emerged from the talks with MPs John Mbadi (Suba), Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda), Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) and nominated Senator Oburu Odinga, but didn’t want to discuss the agenda or respond to the complaints by the Coast MPs. “Nothing; we have had lunch,” Raila told journalists before he was ushered into his waiting car.

The Coast lawmakers affirmed their support for Mung’aro and dared CORD to replace him, warning of far-reaching political consequences.

The decision to sack the Coast Parliamentary Group chairman was allegedly arrived at during a two-day CORD retreat in Naivasha, where his performance in Parliament came under scrutiny.

Some ODM members reportedly claimed he was a Jubilee sympathiser being used to frustrate the coalition’s legislative agenda, but his colleagues said it was witch hunt.

The onslaught against him appears to have been fuelled by recent campaigns to champion the creation of a regional party to advance the interests of the Coast region.

But yesterday, his colleagues rallied behind him, saying he was being used as a sacrificial lamb for the failure of the coalition to push through its agenda in Parliament.

Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadegu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said CORD had a duty to take collective responsibility for the poor show in Parliament. He said they were satisfied with Munga’ro’s performance and vowed to oppose any move to replace him as the minority chief whip.

SINGLED OUT

“We cannot accept one person being singled out. If CORD has failed in Parliament then that should be blamed on everyone, including other leaders in the chamber,” Mr Mwadegu said.

They called on CORD to also sack Minority Leader Francis Nyenze, his deputy Jakoyo Midiwo and Mung’aro’s deputy Chris Wamalwa if the coalition was determined to boost its performance.

“We want to see other heads rolling if at all the coalition is keen on improving its show in the National Assembly. Mung’aro has performed well in his position as chief whip,” said Mishi Mboko Juma, Mombasa County Woman Representative.

The incensed leaders warned that a scheme had been hatched to exclude leaders from the Coast from political responsibilities in the National Assembly, saying they would not allow such ‘ridicule’ within the coalition.

Kwale County Woman Representative Zainabu Chidzuga asked CORD to exercise caution in addressing the coalition’s performance in Parliament as some of the decisions could ruin internal unity.

“We have agreed that if there were mistakes in delivery at the National Assembly, all the leaders in Parliament should be replaced and not just Mung’aro,” Chidzuga said.

The rebellion, coming barely 24 hours after the Naivasha meeting, left CORD lieutenants perplexed, with some ODM MPs hinting that the matter will be addressed at a Parliamentary Group meeting to tame the dissent.

Speaking after holding talks with the former Prime Minister, Mbadi said: “Probably that will be addressed at the PG and I assure you there is nothing much to it; we will sort that one out amicably,” he said, a sentiment also expressed by Gumbo who is running for secretary general of the party.

The four MPs, however, failed to disclose the agenda of their meeting with Raila in the wake of heated campaigns for the ODM leadership.

“We came for lunch and I assure you it was a coincidence to meet the PM but we had lunch together, that is all,” Kaluma told the Press who had camped at the hotel waiting for Raila to appear.