[caption id="attachment_52095" align="alignleft" width="524"] play Ford-Kenya Party leader Moses Wetangula (left) and NASA leader Raila Odinga (right) (Facebook)[/caption]
Kenyans eyes shift to Ghana as ODM party leader and opposition Chief Raila Odinga and his Ford Kenya party counterpart Moses Wetangula are expected to share the same platform during the burial of United Nations former Secretary General Koffi Annan.
The two worked together in opposition during last year polls and fell out after the mock swearing-in of Raila as the people’s president in January 30, 2018.
Wetangula’s ejection as the Senate Minority Leader separated them more as the Bungoma Senator castigated the ODM leader for betrayal and vowed to teach him a lifetime lesson. He termed National Super Alliance coalition as a dead outfit. He further described him as a party wrecker and cannot be trusted by anybody.
“NASA is a moribund organization that cannot be salvaged. It is history. I have suffered the pain of betrayal by NASA presidential candidate,” he said.
He revealed plans to revive his party and look for new partners for realignment ahead 2022. On claims that he is hesitant to quit Nasa, he said that his heart is not in the coalition saying it is the law which stands on his way.
In rejoinder, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party rebuffed his claims and labeled him a coward who cannot survive on his own. The party dared him and his party members to relinquish positions they hold in the National Assembly and Senate courtesy of being in the coalition.
“He has time and again said NASA is dead but why doesn’t he send his official communication to the Registrar of Political parties? What we know is that NASA died after the January 30 when the cowards could not turn up for the occasion, so seeing him bringing the issue each time he speaks is a clear indication that he cannot survive on his own,” said ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
In response to Wetangula’s remarks, the former Prime Minister denied betraying his co-principals and castigated Wetangula for propagating that he engineered his removal from the seat of Senate minority leader saying that was Senate’s decision and not him. He noted that he besought senators to spare him but his effort did not bear fruits.
Before jetting out on Wednesday 12, 2018, the Ford Kenya party said that they cannot take their differences to Ghana. Wetangula paid tribute to Dr. Annan on the floor of Senate on Tuesday relieving memories of 2008 peace deal that he presided. He praised him for leading fights against gender inequality, poverty, depravation and underdevelopment.
“I wish, and I believe I speak for the peace deal team and millions of Kenyans, to urge this House to record our respect and appreciation to this gallant son of Africa. May God rest his soul in peace,” reiterated Wetangula.
Dr. Koffi Annan passed on in August 18, 2018 after a short illness at Switzerland. He served as United Nation Secretary General for six years. He was instrumental in brokering peace deal that saw the formation of grand coalition government following Kenya’s post- election violence in 2007/2008.
Wetangula together with Raila and Senate speaker Ken Lusaka are in Ghana to give him send him off tomorrow.
