Minority parties in western region agree to form Opposition

 

Governor Wycliffe Oparanya being sworn in at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega on Monday. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Minority MCAs elected on NASA-affiliated party tickets in western Kenya have teamed up with their Jubilee counterparts to form the Opposition in county assemblies.

Amani National Congress (ANC) and Jubilee MCAs have agreed to form the minority in the county assembly to counter-check the Wycliffe Oparanya-led county government.

Mr Oparanya is the ODM deputy party leader, a party that is an affiliate in NASA.

Kholera MCA Godliver Omondi, while reading resolutions made by ANC MCAs, said the party would seek to be the minority in the county assembly.

“ANC will be fighting for the positions of minority leader and minority whip. We want to counter-check the executive. We want to ensure ANC is vibrant in the county,” said Ms Omondi, adding that ANC would fight for its space as a party and not NASA.

In the assembly, ANC managed to get 19 MCA seats while ODM has the majority, with 33 seats. The county assembly has 60 elected MCAs and 27 nominated MCAs.

In Bungoma, ODM MCAs have united with Jubilee MCAs to form the minority side in the county assembly.

They will counter-check the executive headed by Wycliffe Wangamati of Ford Kenya, whose party has the majority in the assembly.

Ford Kenya has 18 MCAs while Jubilee has 10 and ODM seven.

The Jubilee-ODM axis has also sought the support of Federal Party of Kenya and Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC.

ODM ward representative and former majority leader Majimbo Okumu said there is nothing wrong with teaming up with like-minded parties to ensure they elect the best speaker.

ODM and Ford Kenya are locked in a dispute over the position of the assembly's speaker and the split might cost the alliance the position.

In Vihiga, where ANC has the majority, Governor Wilbur Ottichilo has met the MCAs to foster a good working relationship.

“We have to work as a team to deliver on the promises we made. We should forget our political differences and serve our people,” said Ottichilo.