Opposition MPs, senators hold talks to resolve political tension
What you need to know:
- Mr Odinga confronted rising tension laid bare at the meeting where Mr Midiwo accused Dr Oginga of undermining him.
- Last week, Mr Rasanga was attacked in Gem-Yala and a meeting he called disrupted by rowdy youth from the area.
ODM leader Raila Odinga on Monday met over 40 Nyanza MPs and senators as he moved to quell tension between Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and his nominated colleague, Dr Oburu Oginga.
The meeting also strategised on enhanced voter registration in the region and how to intervene to increase issuance of identity cards for people from the region.
However, the gathering at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi turned into a shouting match after other MPs raised issues against their colleagues in an acrimonious meeting that nearly turned chaotic.
Dr Oginga, an elder brother of Mr Odinga, and Mr Midiwo, a cousin to the ODM leader, have publicly differed over the management of devolution resources allocated to Siaya County.
On Monday, Mr Odinga confronted rising tension laid bare at the meeting where Mr Midiwo accused Dr Oginga of undermining him and misleading Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga.
Last week, Mr Rasanga was attacked in Gem-Yala and a meeting he called disrupted by rowdy youth from the area. Dr Oginga at the weekend also criticised Mr Midiwo over his alleged dalliance with President Uhuru Kenyatta, something the Gem MP vehemently denied.
Though Dr Oginga is the official chairman of the Luo Nyanza MPs Forum, legislators declined to allow him to chair the meeting and Mr Odinga stepped in to chair the talks.
When he addressed the media after the meeting, Mr Odinga said that the issues that were fuelling tension in the Opposition party had been successfully ironed out. He, however, barred MPs from addressing journalists.
“I want to announce that we have had a successful meeting to address differences that have lately emerged among our members. I want to announce that we have had agreement that there is no mole in our midst,” said Mr Odinga.
He said that all ODM MPs were free to engage the President or members of the Jubilee party any time they wished.
However, at the press conference, Dr Oginga said: “I have not apologised. No apology has been made.”
Earlier, during the meeting, it was agreed that leaders from Siaya would meet in the county to further iron out their differences.
Differences between Suba MP John Mbadi and Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, which emerged after Mr Gumbo defeated the former to become the Public Accounts Committee chair also emerged. Mr Gumbo replaced ODM Secretary-General Ababu Namwamba, who was on Monday among western Kenya MPs who met President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy, Mr William Ruto, at State House, Nairobi.
INCREASING CORRUPTION
Mr Odinga said: “We have had issues. There are MCAs who have issues with MPs and MPs who have issues with governors but today we meet to iron out all this.”
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang raised concerned over alleged increasing corruption in Homa Bay County and intimidation of other leaders by the local executive while his Nyatike counterpart, Mr Omondi Anyanga, raised issues touching on Migori County.
