Raila, Mudavadi parties clash over Wetangula ‘ouster’ as Ford-Kenya leader

By , K24 Digital
On Mon, 1 Jun, 2020 09:42 | 2 mins read
NASA
NASA leaders from left: Moses Wetangula, Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi at a past function. PHOTO | FILE
NASA leaders from left: Moses Wetangula, Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi at a past function. PHOTO | FILE

National Super Alliance (NASA) affiliated parties on Sunday clashed after officials of the sister party, Ford-Kenya, staged a coup against their leader Moses Wetangula.

Following the meeting in which the Bungoma Senator was allegedly kicked out as party leader, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi pointed an accusing finger at "a leader of a NASA member party" and Central Organization of Trade Unions Secretary-General Francis Atwoli.

In his statement, Mudavadi said the mischief at Ford-Kenya was meant to destabilize all independent-minded political parties.

"The mischief has been escalated at a number of meetings led by the leader of a NASA member party, whose objective is to destroy and dominate everyone politically," said Mudavadi.

But the Orange Democratic Movement quickly fired back, accusing Mudavadi of being a professional mourner in the happenings at Ford-Kenya on Sunday, May 31.

"However, our attention has been caught by his reference to 'the leader of a NASA party' as being behind the changes that have been carried out in a party that should neither concern us nor him. It is a poorly disguised attempt to once again lay blame on ODM and its leader for Mudavadi and his friend's shortcomings," said ODM in a statement released by party Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.

Mudavadi in his statement said that his party will offer Wetangula its support in his fight against "quislings" externally sponsored to cause mischief, a term ODM took exception to, noting that the so-called quislings include the accomplished Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati.

"Clearly, Mudavadi has never been in a party long enough to understand the dynamics that inform the choices of its membership, and has generally run parties so small that no voices of dissent can be heard," ODM preached.

ODM also accused Mudavadi of having held meetings with politicians "of different shades in the past few weeks" yet he chooses now to cast aspersions on their leader, Raila Odinga.

"Mudavadi in 2002 chose Kanu over NARC and UDF over ODM in 2013, with disastrous results, but still within his rights. He has no right to lecture anyone on political choices, given the catalogue of failures from his own choices since 2002, and from which he has been politically saved countless times by the “leader of a NASA party," said Sifuna.

Following his alleged ouster by the "rogue" National Executive Council members, Wetangula quickly issued a rejoinder in which he suspended the ring leaders Eseli Simiyu.

Wetangula termed the meeting illegal and unlawful.