MP Osotsi: I only have a problem with Mudavadi's strategy
Amani National Congress Secretary-General Godfrey Osotsi addresses journalists at the party's offices in Lavington, Nairobi, on January 26, 2017. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- However, the High Court stayed the decision of the tribunal pending the hearing and determination of a case Mr Muluka had filed.
The reinstatement of nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi, as the Amani National Congress (ANC) secretary-general puts him in a precarious position with party leader Musalia Mudavadi as the two have not being seeing eye to eye since the August 2017 election.
On Thursday, the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal ruled that Mr Barrack Muluka was not validly elected the party’s secretary-general following an appeal by Mr Osotsi and some party members.
The tribunal ruled that the purported ouster of Mr Osotsi on October 12 last year and his subsequent replacement with Mr Muluka was unlawful.
HIGH COURT
The ANC members led by Mr Kyalo Mbobu (chairman), Mr Hassan Abdi and Ms Desma Nungo, although in support of Mr Osotsi, were opposed to a plea to bar Mr Muluka from contesting the position if elections are called.
However, a day later, the High Court stayed the decision of the tribunal pending the hearing and determination of a case Mr Muluka had filed.
The judge certified as urgent the case filed by Mr Mudavadi together with Ms Margaret Emonde, Mr Kelvin Lunani and Mr Muluka.
Mr Mudavadi, through lawyer Dan Ameyo, argued that the case was taken before the tribunal before the complainants exhausted a party dispute mechanism.
PRESIDENCY
But even as the High Court issued the orders, the nominated MP said he has no problem working with Mr Mudavadi and that he would support his presidential bid, saying their differences are purely ideological.
“My party leader is a person that I respect highly. His political strategy after the August 2017 elections, which is not leading us anywhere, is what I have issues with. He must be ready to be advised from time to time,” he said.
Mr Osotsi and Senators George Khaniri (Vihiga) and Cleophas Malala (Kakamega) are some of the figures in ANC who have been accused of being too close to ODM leader Mr Raila Odinga.
They have been labelled “rebels without a course”.
“Mr Odinga was our presidential candidate and we share with him quite a lot, especially on the issue of electoral justice.
"We are all in Nasa and we believe in its ideology and philosophy. The fact that we differ politically doesn’t mean that we are enemies,” he said.
