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Wetang’ula accused of intimidation
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Speaking at the Registrar of Political Parties offices in Nairobi on Friday after handing over the statutory PP7 form, Mr Simuyu said some nominated ward reps, who are NEC members, have been threatened with recall if they do not disown the signatures.
- Other NEC members serving as ward reps have been told they will be de-whipped from various committees in county assemblies if they don’t rescind their support for Mr Wetang’ula’s ouster.
- In addition, Mr Simuyu said, some NEC members have been threatened with physical harm.
A Ford-Kenya faction led by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi has accused Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula’s side of intimidating the party’s National Executive Committee members.
Mr Wamunyinyi, flanked by party Secretary-General Eseli Simiyu, claimed that NEC members were being coerced to sign affidavits to disown the signatures used to dislodge Mr Wetang’ula as the party leader last week.
Speaking at the Registrar of Political Parties offices in Nairobi on Friday after handing over the statutory PP7 form, Mr Simuyu said some nominated ward reps, who are NEC members, have been threatened with recall if they do not disown the signatures.
Other NEC members serving as ward reps have been told they will be de-whipped from various committees in county assemblies if they don’t rescind their support for Mr Wetang’ula’s ouster. In addition, Mr Simuyu said, some NEC members have been threatened with physical harm.
“We are reporting the threats to police so that our NEC members can be protected,” Mr Simuyu said.
However, Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, the secretary-general appointed by Mr Wetang’ula, dismissed the allegations. “It’s not true. It’s a lie,” Dr Wamalwa told the Saturday Nation in a text message.
“We have presented form PP7, which has been properly signed by authorised party officials to the registrar. We have now fully complied with the request she made,” Mr Wamunyinyi said.
He continued: “We are hopeful as a party that now that we have fulfilled all the requirements, the registrar will confirm the new party leadership soonest”.
On Thursday, the registrar told the Wamunyinyi-led faction to rectify an anomaly with the signatures on the form.
Quorum hitch
In her communication, the registrar further dealt a blow to Mr Wetang’ula’s faction, saying they failed to raise a quorum as stipulated in the party’s constitution and therefore could not take disciplinary action against Mr Wamunyinyi and Mr Eseli over the changes.
Ms Nderitu also noted Mr Wetang’ula’s team did not submit to her office the PP7 form on the change of party officials.
The registrar’s pronouncement now means the senator will have to call another NEC and Parliamentary Group meeting to ratify the changes before resubmitting them.
But Mr Wetang’ula’s group has maintained they are still the bona fide leaders of the party.
