Sharp divisions in NASA after ANC leader's latest statement

juma chrispinus

January 15, 2018 3:10 PM

Nasa principals held a crisis meeting on Monday over Raila's swearing-in.

Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper party’s latest decision to have the position of Commissioner of the Parliament Service Commission (PSC) has angered both Amani National Congress and ODM even as the coalition principals on Monday held a crucial meeting over the fate of the coalition and Raila’s swearing-in.

On Monday, Musalia Mudavadi’s party ANC expressed disquiet, terming the decision to muzzle the key position as having a greedy agenda. ANC leaders led by Godfrey Osotsi said on Monday that Wiper Party already got lucrative positions in Parliament hence should not complain.

"Wiper should understand that coalition politics is about "give and take", not bulldozing every time," Mr Osotsi said as quoted by the Star.

He added: "If we were to consider party strengths in the August House, ODM would have taken everything but they sacrificed for all of us to get slots.”

Wiper party holds more crucial compared to ANC including Senate Majority Whip (Makueni’s Mutula Kilonzo Junior), nomination of Jessica Mbalu to the speaker's panel, PAC vice chair among other influential house committees.

Mr Osotsi, who lost the position of ANC’s secretary general to Barack Muluka after he was nominated to parliament, questioned the scope of Nasa, as the regional balancing for member parties – ANC, ODM, Ford Kenya and Wiper – had been frustrated. He has urged Kalonzo’s party to relinquish the deputy minority whip to Amani National Congress, if it wanted the new PSC slot.

"If we concentrate on matters of parties alone, we lose as NASA. We need to factor in even regions that didn't give us massive representation," the legislator said.

On Friday, details emerged that Nasa chiefs Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula and Musalia Mudavadi would hold a crucial meeting on Monday (today) after perceived rifts in the Opposition over recent House leadership and Peoples’ Assembly inauguration plans.

The plans to have the People’s Assembly in Ukambani was put on hold, with Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, who is also Wiper chairman, divulged that the “Nasa house leadership ought to be put in order to enable other processes.”

A disquiet emerged in the Opposition when Odinga’s ODM mulled nearly all key positions in both National and Senate Assemblies, a move that ANC and Wiper have openly protested.