Nasa partners condemn Malala ouster as deputy minority leader
Wiper party, Amani National Congress and Ford Kenya yesterday wrote a protest letter to Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka urging him to reject the ouster of Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala as Deputy Minorty Leader.
“An appeal is hereby being made for the Speaker’s intervention not to confirm and suspend the unprocedural and unilateral removal of senator Cleophas Malalah (ANC) by Senate members of the ODM party and changes made by the same ODM party without consultation with its Nasa partners,” reads the letter signed by ANC chairman Kelvin Lunani, acting Wiper secretary general Peter Mathuki and Ford Kenya national organising secretary Chris Mandu Mandu.
They said ODM’s decision is in breach of the coalition’s power sharing agreement and beseeched the Speaker to suspend the changes until such a time when the coalition caucuses meet and present a legitimate list.
ODM ousted Senate Deputy Malalah and replaced him with its Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo.
At least 20 senators allied to ODM leader Raila Odinga, who attended the coalition’s Parliamentary Group meeting at Parliament Buildings unanimously signed a petition and ratified a decision by the Orange party to kick him out.
The meeting was, however, boycotted by lawmakers allied to Ford Kenya, Wiper party and the Amani National Congress (ANC).
Malala, who is a close ally of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has been at loggerheads with Nasa’s dominant party, ODM.
He is accused among other things of being a stumbling block to the coalition’s agenda, alleged gross misconduct and mischief in the recent Matungu parliamentary by-election.
The Kakamega lawmaker is also accused of disrespecting the Nasa principals and hurling insults at ODM Deputy Party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya.
The decision by the ODM senators elicited fierce reactions from other Nasa parties who termed the move as selfish and illegal.
It comes against the backdrop of a bitter fallout and acrimonoius public exchanges between ODM and the other parties – Ford Kenya, Wiper and ANC.
The three have since teamed up with Kanu led by its chairman Gideon Moi to form a ‘Sacred Alliance’ ahead of the 2020 polls.
“I condemn the removal of Sen Cleo Malalah as Senate D/Minority leader. It is selfish, unhelpful, unlawful, vindictive, intolerant, vengeful and against the NASA coalition Agreement.
It has a direct link to the outcome of the Matungu by-election,” Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula tweeted.
Mudavadi said while all manner of excuses will be floated, it is clear that Malalah was removed because of his role in the recent Matungu by-election where the ANC candidate, he campaigned for, won with a landslide.
Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa also condemned the action saying his position was as a result of the NASA coalition agreement of sharing the leadership positions which was deposited with the Registrar of political parties.
