Ford Kenya leaders haven’t received official communication concerning Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula’s removal as the Senate Minority Leader, according to Boni Khalwale. Addressing the press in Nairobi after a Ford Kenya NEC/Parliamentary Group meeting, the leaders indicated that the other parties in NASA are dissatisfied with ODM antics. “We are not aware of the removal of our party leader as the leader of Minority in the Senate. It hasn’t been communicated and if there were to be a removal it would be the decision of the summit, and our party leader sits at the summit, he would be the first to communicate to you (media) and to the party,” said Khalwlale.
The decision to oust Wetangula from the position of Minority leader was arrived at after a NASA parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday, where there was a unanimous vote to replace the Bungoma Senator with Siaya Senator James Orengo. Khalwale said that the decision of one member of the coalition, however, doesn’t represent the decision of the whole coalition, adding that if one member party isn’t pleased with the state of affairs they are free to walk away, “That doesn’t amount to the collapse of the coalition because the coalition agreement says as long as three members are happy, then the coalition continues,” he quipped.
On his part, Tongaren MP and Ford Kenya SG Eseli Simiyu said they are ready to take up the official opposition banner without ODM, “We’ll live up to the role of holding the government and its new partners accountable on behalf of the Kenyan people who deserve and require an accountable government,” he said, reiterating that the new partners of the government are ODM. He said Ford Kenya is alive to ongoing divisive mechanisms orchestrated by ODM, “Who have taken upon themselves to ridicule and demonize other parties in the coalition,” he said. He added that the Ford Kenya party leadership should focus on rejuvenating the party and engaging with like-minded individuals that believe in democracy and people-centred rather than individual centred leadership. Party leader Moses Wetangula was present at the press briefing but didn’t address the media, as the NASA coalition wrangles rumble on.