Khalwale reveals unknown secret about Raila's meeting with Wetangula
The meeting was allegedly boycotted by ANC's Musalia Mudavadi.
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The former Kakamega Senator, in equal measure, told Wetangula’s Ford Kenya, Kalonzo’s Wiper Democratic Party and Musalia’s ANC to officially form the new Opposition bloc.
Taking on twitter on Friday, Dr Khalwale called upon the Raila Odinga led party to come out clean on whether it had joined the government, chiding the recent decision by the Senator to oust the Ford Kenya party leader.
“The choreography that played out at yesterday’s NASA Senators meeting over Wetangula merely confirmed what some people don’t want to admit, that is, the ODM has bolted to government. ANC, Ford Kenya and Wiper must now formalize their status as the opposition,” he said.
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The heavy message from Khalwale comes amid rising concerns over the need to have a retreat by Nasa Senators, to craft yet another resolution, which according to Opposition chief Raila Odinga, would later be communicated to the Senate speaker, Kenneth Lusaka.
Mr Odinga on Thursday told a press conference in Nairobi, in which he was accompanied by Mr Wetangula, that the ODM senators would be retreating in the next two weeks to chat a way forward after a seeming blistering ouster of Mr Wetangula as the Senate Minority leader.
“We have agreed that senators will go on a retreat within the next 14 days and discuss issues regarding the operation within the Senate, how to deal with issues which have been contentious, and report back to the Summit in two weeks,” said Mr Odinga, in a press conference which was allegedly boycotted by ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi.
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It is unclear how the senators, who had in open defiance of the Summit’s position sat and elected Mr Orengo, will reverse the decision during a retreat where they will be the only participants.
Arrogant Wetangula
Several ODM Senators have said that Mr Wetangula is arrogant, a trait that saw his ouster on Tuesday. Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina hinted that the meeting ordered for by the Nasa Summit chairman Mr Raila Odinga would not do much to salvage his state, after the ouster.
“We met, we deliberated and agreed that the Senate is an independent institution and we made the decision of retaining Orengo as our elected leader,” Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina said as quoted by a local daily.
During Thursday’s meeting, sources said the senators accused Mr Wetang’ula of having a condescending attitude, telling him to his face that he had failed them and that he should accept their decision for the good of all.
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Mr Wetang’ula is said to have apologised to his colleagues, pleading with them to forgive him if he had hurt them in the course of his duties as their leader.
Mr Musyoka told journalists that the coalition was intact despite the differences and dismissed claims that the Uhuru-Raila unity deal, or the dispute over the Senate seat, would split the alliance.
“At the level of principals, we are all together. We have all restated our unity in Nasa. And if we have taken that position, our MPs and members of county assemblies should stand guided,” Mr Musyoka said.
Huge pay
By virtue of his Senate Minority office, Mr Wetangula, a lawyer by profession, had a government-provided Mercedes Benz car fueled by the government, six police officers — two guarding his rural home, two for his Nairobi home and two bodyguards who accompany him — besides a driver, at his disposal.
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Earlier, Mr Wetangula was attracting a monthly pay of Sh765,188 as basic salary, meaning he has been earning Sh143,938 above fellow senators for the last eight months, who earn a monthly salary of Sh621,250.
The Bungoma Senator was equally entitled to a premium life insurance, which will now suffer a cut, superior pay package, vehicles, enhanced security and at least nine employees paid for by the government.
All these will now go to his Siaya counterpart James Orengo, should the decision made on Tuesday by 19 senators in the Senate remain in force.
Mr Wetangula will also have to do with only two International trips in Business Class, from six unlimited local travel and equally have to abandon a State funded air ticket for self and assistant every time he travels home. He will also lose control of the powerful House Business Committee which sets the agenda for the Senate.
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