Coast MPs protest over Mbadi's minority leadership post

Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori (center), accompanied by his colleagues, addresses the media at Parliament Buildings over nominees for parliamentary leadership, on September 18, 2017. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Odinga said the matter would be addressed conclusively in the Nasa parliamentary group meeting.

Confusion gripped the National Super Alliance on Monday over its list of nominees for parliamentary leadership with its leader Raila Odinga explaining that the matter had not been fully addressed by the affiliate parties.  

Mr Odinga made the comments even as Suba South MP John Mbadi said that Nasa had settled on him as the leader of minority in the National Assembly, among other leaders.

However, the revelation infuriated Coast MPs, led by Mr Suleiman Dori (Msambweni).

DECAMP

The MPs, in a hurriedly convened press conference at Parliament Buildings, threatened to lead a mass exodus of MPs from the coalition.  

But Mr Odinga said the matter would be addressed conclusively in the Nasa parliamentary group meeting.

“I don’t know the list that is doing rounds. I know that we are going to sit down and agree as Nasa parliamentary group family,” Mr Odinga said during a meeting with grassroots leaders at Okoa Kenya secretariat.

DEPUTY
Mr Odinga also noted that only the names of Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula and that of Mr Mbadi had been communicated to their respective speakers in the National Assembly and the Senate.

While addressing MPs during their induction on Monday, Mr Mbadi said that his name had been submitted to the National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

He also went ahead to name Lugari MP Ayub Savula as his deputy, Robert Mbui (Kathiani) as minority Whip with Dr Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) as his deputy.

BIAS
Immediately Mr Mbadi made the revelation, Mr Dori and six MPs from the Coast region, who agreed with Mr Odinga’s sentiments, said that the matter had not been exhausted.  

“The list is biased against MPs from Coast who campaigned for the party,” Mr Dori said.