Mbadi cries foul after Raila picks Wandayi for Majority Leader role
Nominated Member of Parliament John Mbadi has protested against a decision by the ODM party to deny him the Majority Leader position in the 13th Parliament.
The Raila Odinga-led party on Saturday, September 17, unveiled Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi as its Majority Leader in the National Assembly.
Speaking to a local TV station, the ODM party national chairman faulted the outfit for the decision, insisting that he had been shortchanged.
According to Mbadi, who served as the Minority Leader in the 12th Parliament, the position ought to have gone to him, since it was the party that prevailed upon him to drop his bid for the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat in the August 9 polls.
He argued that being a nominated MP was not an excuse for him to be denied the plum position.
"I was asked to shelve my gubernatorial ambition which I did. It will be unfair to deny the opportunity on the basis that I am nominated. I have a track record as a Minority Leader," Mbadi revealed in a statement to NTV.
The ODM party falls under the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition.
The coalition unveiled its House leadership on Saturday after a parliamentary group meeting at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos County.
Speaking after the PG meeting, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka stated that the political formation legally and legitimately commands a majority in the National Assembly, despite contrary views from President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza camp.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the Azimio OKA coalition party is legally and legitimately the majority coalition in the National Assembly. This is not a matter for determination by any individual or office. It is simple arithmetic. So to settle this matter and put the record straight once and for all, MPs from the Azimio coalition party have been properly advised to take up majority roles and responsibilities in and out of the National Assembly chambers," Kalonzo said.
John Mbadi to be deputised by Kathiani MP
Kalonzo said Wandayi will be deputized by Kathiani MP Robert Mbui.
The coalition settled on Suna East MP Junet Mohammed as the Majority Whip with nominated MP Sabina Chege as his deputy.
In the Senate, Kalonzo stated that they are cognizant of the fact that they are the minority and have therefore settled on senators to occupy the minority leadership benches,
The coalition picked Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo as the coalition's Minority Leader with Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua as his deputy.
The coalition also picked Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo as the Minority Whip with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as her deputy.
