Cord drops Gideon Mung’aro, dares rebels to resign

Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro. Some MCAs have claimed the Kilifi North MP had not consulted the residents when he decided to work with the Jubilee Government. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • Cord MPs said that Mr Mungaro’s removal was only the first step of getting Opposition members in line.
  • Cord decided to act a day after 20 Coast MPs disagreed with an earlier resolution to replace Mr Mung’aro.

Cord on Thursday made good its threats and dropped Mr Gideon Mung’aro as the Minority Chief Whip and dared dissenting Coast MPs to quit the Opposition if they are not satisfied with the decision.

Minority Leader Francis Nyenze wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Justin Muturi, informing him of the decision to replace Mr Mung’aro, the Kilifi North MP, with his Wundanyi counterpart, Mr Thomas Mwadeghu.

Cord MPs said that Mr Mungaro’s removal was only the first step of getting Opposition members in line. He said other leaders who fail to support Cord’s position would similarly be purged in line with the Political Parties Act.

Cord decided to act a day after 20 Coast MPs, joined by four from the ruling Jubilee Coalition, disagreed with an earlier resolution by the joint Cord Parliamentary Group meeting to replace Mr Mung’aro. The meeting had asked Coast MPs to pick one of their colleagues to replace Mr Mung’aro.

Mr Mwadeghu will take over immediately, the Minority Leader said in the letter delivered to the Speaker on Thursday. The MP who is serving his second term was said to be on official duty in India.

PURGE HAS STARTED

Addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed said the purge has actually started. Although Mr Nyenze did not attend the press conference at Parliament addressed by ODM legislators Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Mr Mohammed, Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) and Senator Omar Hassan (Mombasa, Wiper), his letter signified the resolve with which the coalition has taken the matter.

“Gideon is just the first casualty,” said Mr Mohammed. “There are other casualties on the line. We are ready to remain with 20, 30 members who are ready to adhere to the aspirations, principles and values of the coalition.”

He also said Cord was ready for by-elections in areas where its MPs opt to switch their party loyalties.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir had earlier told journalists that his colleagues were opposed to Mr Mungaro’s removal because it was not done in “the right manner”. He said the group would meet again and come up with a position.

But according to Mr Kaluma, the position was given to Mr Mung’aro by the Opposition Parliamentary Group and it could be taken away on the strength of a resolution by the group.

“There was no hearing or interview before he was given. Cord is now taking that position back to give someone who can serve the coalition better... It’s not even about a fair hearing,” Mr Kaluma said. “Honourable Mwadeghu has also been appointed to that position in absentia because we deem as Cord that he can serve in that position better for now.”

He said Cord had drawn the line and would rather have five people who can serve the coalition’s ideals than a crowd that will drag them back.

“If you want to mingle, we are giving you freedom to mingle, but out of our coalition,” Mr Kaluma said.

In the statement read by Mr Mwinyi, the Opposition MPs said Cord acknowledges and accords unequivocal respect to the people of the Coast region and shares in their aspirations.

“We assure the people of the Coast region that this decision takes into consideration the best interests of the Coast region and the coalition,” Mr Mwinyi said and described the position taken by the 20 MPs from the Coast as “unfortunate and in total disregard of the best interests of the coalition”.

JUBILEE 'INVOLVED' IN CORD AFFAIRS

On Wednesday, the 20 MPs had signed a statement criticising Cord’s decision to drop Mr Mung’aro. The 20 included Jubilee MPs Ali Wario (Bura, TNA), Ibrahim Sane (Garsen, URP), Hassan Dukicha (Galole, UDF) and Peter Shehe (Ganze, UDF). Deputy Majority Leader Naomi Shaban attended the meeting that preceded the announcement but did not sign the statement.

Reacting to the dissenting MPs on Thursday, Mr Mwinyi said: “We find it suspect that the Jubilee Coalition would involve itself so intricately in the affairs of the Cord coalition. It indeed put into better perspective the unholy alliance calculated to undermine and weaken the Opposition, which is the constitutional avenue in the audit of the government.”

He said Cord had put on notice the Jubilee leaders, who were dining and wining with leaders of Cord with the aim of luring them to weaken the Opposition.

Speaking on behalf of Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula, Mombasa Senator Omar Hassan said the Cord Parliamentary Group had identified areas of weakness and decided to strengthen them as its leaders embark on the push for a referendum to determine the future of the electoral commission, the sharing of revenue between the national and county governments and the security situation in the country.

“We have given everybody notice that it is either you support the referendum or there are avenues that you can express yourself democratically within the purview of the Constitution,” said Mr Omar.

“We have given Mung’aro his dismissal letter and permission to leave and we are telling anybody else who feels they can leave to do so. The Constitution allows one to be an independent candidate, to change your party,” he said.

He accused some Cord MPs of wearing the Cord team’s jerseys while playing for other teams.

“If they want to play for another team, let them kit you,” he said.

He said it was unfair to constantly claim that the Coast region was being victimised, yet its leaders have been unable to show that they have a firm political position.

Mr Hassan suggested that the dissenting Cord MPs were working with Jubilee and have been using harambees to perpetuate the idea that they were bringing development to their people.

“The decision (to drop Mung’aro) was taken by the Cord PG. The Cord PG can appoint you and when necessary, it can disappoint and, therefore, it has decided that we can reorganise ourselves and if anybody is not satisfied with the decision, we have taken your challenge. We’re ready,” Mr Hassan said.