Intrigues threatening to abort NASA dissolution

NASA principles during a Summit at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos County.[File,Standard]

Behind the scene talks and legal roadblocks are threatening to stall the much-hyped push by the National Super Alliance (NASA) trio to dissolve the moribund coalition. Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) yesterday said Ford Kenya cannot pull out of the coalition until a leadership dispute in the party is determined by the High Court.

It has also emerged that powerful forces are trying to prevail upon Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to reconsider his position of severing links with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

The implication of the latest development in the NASA fiasco is that even if Amani National Congress (ANC) proceed to pull out, the coalition would still remain since at least three partner parties have to pull out for it to be dissolved.

Yesterday, Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu revealed that none of the partner parties had written to formally pull out of the coalition, contradicting ANC deputy party leader Ayub Savula.

Savula had claimed that Amani Council wrote to ORPP over its decision to divorce from the coalition following a Parliamentary Group (PG) held last week Thursday.

“Amani Council has already written to ORPP and we are officially done with NASA coalition. We want to urge our other partners to also follow suit so that we can proceed with our resolution for One Kenya Alliance,” said Savula.

But Nderitu said that no single party had written seeking to pull out of the opposition coalition. She disclosed that even Chama Cha Mashinani of ex-Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto was still a partner party.

“No party has written officially seeking to pull out,” said Nderitu.

She further said that Ford Kenya will have to wait for court ruling on the existing leadership dispute.

“The dispute is still in court. We should be guided by the court on who should take decision on behalf of the party. Once we get guidance from court we will go with that,” she added.

The pronouncement by the ORPP essentially slams brake on Wetangúla’s plans to severe links with NASA.

Wetang’ula is in a tussle over the control of the party with an axis led by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi and Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu.

The Bungoma Senator has, however, dismissed the faction as rebels with no course and insisted that the party will proceed with its planned Parliamentary Group meeting tomorrow to ratify resolution to pull out of the coalition.

“It should be clear that we do not have a leadership dispute, we have rebels. The pecking order in our party is clear, those are rebels without course. They can continue having their business in hotel boardrooms while we continue with party activities,” said Wetangúla.

Today, Kalonzo is set to chair both PG and National Executive (NEC) meeting of Wiper party to consider resolution to divorce NASA.

Wiper vice chairperson Mutula Kilonzo Jnr yesterday dismissed reports that Kalonzo had developed cold feet to severe links with the former premier.

The Makueni Senator said that today’s meeting will discuss the party’s position on NASA and One Kenya Alliance. He explained that the decision to pull out of NASA would be ratified by the party’s delegate. The outfit is yet to decide when to convene a delegates’ conference.

“I am not aware of the cold feet. We will discuss One Kenya Alliance and NASA. Ratification (of the decision) is done by the delegates,” said Mutula Jnr.

Kalonzo while in Mwingi Central on Saturday also dismissed claims that he was reconsidering his decision to pull out of NASA following a meeting with Raila last week. Kalonzo said his engagement with Raila was purely on the contested sharing of the political parties funds.

“I have seen media report that I met Raila. I am a very straight talker; the only agenda was on a simple issue of sharing of funds,” said Kalonzo. He also insisted on his resolve to run for the presidency in the 2022 General Election, stating that defeating Deputy President William Ruto was his top priority.

Makueni MP Dan Manzo said that the only way Wiper can work with Raila was if the former premier declared Kalonzo “Tosha”.

He claimed that fronting Raila for the top seat would hand DP Ruto a landslide win in the presidential contest. He claimed that Kikuyu voters have been mobilised against Raila’s presidency, stating the only way to beat Ruto was by fronting Kalonzo. “If we make the mistake of fielding him again, he is going to lose big time,” added Manzo.

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