Nasa chiefs to meet over infighting

National Super Alliance co-principal Moses Wetang'ula addresses head teachers during a workshop at Lions High School, Kisumu, on March 2, 2018. He wants to be the president of Kenya. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Odinga, speaking in Siaya, said that some people were “growing cold feet”.

National Super Alliance principals are meeting on Monday amid a series of accusations and counter-accusations in the coalition.

The meeting comes days after Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula revived talks about the 2022 elections, calling on his co-principals' support amid a similar push by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Amani National Congress counterpart Musalia Mudavadi to have Nasa leader Raila Odinga back them for the top job.

For the four Nasa principals, theirs has been a mutating relationship.

One minute there is a camaraderie propelling them towards a common cause. But the next minute it is that four people each fighting his own war, with their lieutenants all too happy to be used to throw friendly fires that have in the recent days shown real likelihood of burning the coalition.

AGENDA
Mr Wetang’ula told the Nation that the meeting, which will happen in Nairobi, had been planned last week and is not based on any events of the week.

It is not clear what the agenda of the meeting will be but it comes at a time when the coalition seems to be undecided over what is most important to them now: Electoral justice or the 2022 election.

The meeting of the principals also comes two days after Mr Odinga, speaking in Siaya, said that some people were “growing cold feet”.

Though he did not elaborate, the comments by Mr Odinga that some of his friends might betray him, coming after public discussions of him ditching his three co-principals for skipping his January 30 ‘oath’ as the ‘people’s president’, could further rock the coalition.

DIALOGUE
On Sunday, Mr Wetang’ula declined to comment on the sentiments by Mr Odinga.

Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, a close ally of Mr Musyoka, asked the principals to call a Nasa parliamentary group meeting, and for matters of the coalition to be prosecuted in the media.

“We need a meeting where we will talk to each other eyeball to eyeball. This way, we can address suspicions of betrayal which cut across all the coalition partners,” Mr Wambua said.