Wetang’ula told to vacate office for new officials
George Kebaso @Morarak
Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi who staged a coup ousting Moses Wetang’ula as the Ford Kenya leader, has asked the Bungoma senator to vacate office to allow the new officials to start preparing the party for the 2022 polls.
Wamunyinyi made the call yesterday after his failed attempt to gain entry into the party’s headquarters at Simba House in Lavington.
“The party will be thankful to their former leader if he bows out as a sign of maturity in democratic ideals,” he said.
The Registrar of Political Parties has already notified the public of intended changes in the lion party, with both Wamunyinyi and Wetang’ula camps claiming leadership.
“This is not a personal war against the person of Senator Moses Wetang’ula but collective referendum by party membership on his inability to lead the party.
We shall be offending the spirit of our founding fathers if we allowed Ford Kenya to be held hostage by greed and ineptitude of the overly arrogant individual in the name Wetang’ula,” he said.
The MP spoke even as Wetang’ula stepped up defence for leadership of the party by strengthening his legal team. The senator yesterday instructed John Khaminwa to join lawyer Benson Milimo.
Briefcase venture
Wamunyinyi said his views were shared by secretary general Eseli Simiyu and National Women League chair Cynthia Mutere that they won’t allow the party to continue being a briefcase venture that it is, and hawked for profit and personal gain.
He said in functional democracies, when a political party membership recalls its confidence in a party leader, such a leader must vacate office.
“When Wetangula took over the reins of power from Musikari Kombo, the latter vacated the position with decorum and dignity. It is Kombo`s behaviour at such difficult times that has earned him respect.
Wetang’ula yesterday, continued to fight to retain the Ford Kenya party leadership. Through Khaminwa, he threatened to institute abuse of office proceedings against Anne Nderitu for gazetting the Wamunyinyi team.
“What was or is, the legal basis of your decision? Should you not as a professional consider revising your decision so that the internal dispute resolutions procedures give guidance on the way forward and the rule of law prevails?” Khaminwa said in a letter to the Registrar.
