Discord in New Ford Kenya threatening party unity
Calls have been made to officials of New Ford Kenya party to desist from rocking the boat from within and instead build the party which is facing internal wrangles of leadership that is threatening to split the party apart.
This was witnessed when a section of leaders moved to court to challenge the leadership of Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka who was given the mantle to steer the party ahead.
Speaking in Kitale after attending a funds drive in aid of the disabled persons, Saboti MP David Wafula Lazaro appealed to the party members to desist from rocking the party from within and instead concentrate on building the party to make it stronger at the grassroots.
Lazaro warned those leaders who have hatched a plot of ousting party leader Ken Lusaka of dire consequences and said the move won’t succeed terming the plan as ill timed and in bad faith meant to open up succession battles in the party.
He said since when party leader Eugene Wamalwa was elevated as a Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation and gave the mantle to Governor Lusaka who has been steering the party ahead, some forces have been formed and determined to make sure that Lusaka fails, terming such forces as not the real supporters of the party.
“We left for Nairobi to select a new party leader of our party who was Lusaka as he was succeeding the now Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and all of us supported Lusaka, those ones who are now against Lusaka were not at the meeting”, said Lazaro.
He said as elected member on the party ticket they will not allow their party leader to be ousted by a creation of forces which he said has been planted by opponents of Lusaka who were not happy by his administration.
Governor Lusaka had called for election of officials of the party which was scheduled to take place from the month of June and was to start from the grassroots a move that has made several members of the party to move to court challenging Lusaka’s decision of calling for party elections.
The members claimed that Lusaka has no mandate to call for the elections in the party and he was only installed as an interim party leader and no elections was held to install him as a party leader.
Some members who spoke on condition of anonymity to www.westfm.co.ke disclosed that there were wrangles within the party and disclosed that Lusaka’s intention of calling for part elections is only aimed at weakening Eugene Wamalwa.
They said that if elections were held it would lock out cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa any leadership position within the party and is aimed at making him party less.
They argued that there were no elections that were done among the delegates of the party that put Lusaka at the helm of the party and said the only person who is supposed to call for the party elections was the Cabinet Secretary for Water Eugene Wamalwa who according to the constitution of the party is still the party leader and they don’t recognize Lusaka as its leader.
They said Lusaka can only call for the party elections after consultations with CS Wamalwa because he is operating under his shadow.
They pointed out that Lusaka had gone against the constitution of the party and what he is doing in calling for elections of the party was not constitutional as per the parties rules.
They vowed to continue with the fight in pushing for Governor Lusaka’s ouster as the party leader if he will not adhere to the party’s constitution as stipulated down in the constitution.