ODM maintains Raila is still Nasa leader

ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna addresses a news conference at Orange House, Nairobi, on March 29, 2018. He has said Raila Odinga is still the leader of Nasa. PHOTO | ANDREW KILONZI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  Justus Ochieng'

What you need to know:

  • Mr Sifuna said Mr Odinga had not joined Jubilee but held talks with President Kenyatta as an individual.
  • Nasa’s unity has been in question Mr Moses Wetang’ula was ousted as the Senate minority leader.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has insisted that Raila Odinga still remains the leader of the opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa).

ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna dismissed claims by Amani National Congress (ANC) that Mr Odinga is no longer the leader of the coalition.

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi’s aide Kibisu Kabatesi had asked Mr Odinga to leave Nasa, arguing that his usefulness in the coalition ended with the famous handshake between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 9.

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Mr Kabatesi asked the media to stop referring to Mr Odinga as the “Nasa leader”, saying that the coalition does not have such a title other than the honorary “Nasa principal” or “Nasa co-principal” shared by the leaders of ODM, Wiper, Ford Kenya and ANC.

“ODM must take the bold step to officially vacate its membership in Nasa since by promoting the Jubilee agenda at the expense of Nasa’s stated objective to constitute a democratic government and not dictatorship, it is in continued violation of the Political Parties Act,” Mr Kabatesi said.

PEACE
But on Sunday, Mr Sifuna said Mr Odinga had not joined Jubilee but held talks with President Kenyatta as an individual.

He described ANC’s claims that Mr Odinga was no longer the Nasa leader as “petty”.

“ANC is being petty. A rose is a rose whatever name you call it. Raila is the Nasa leader and peoples president. Period,” Mr Sifuna declared.

When Mr Odinga spoke after the handshake, which was a culmination of a meeting with President Kenyatta, he said that it was important for the country to come together after the 2017 divisive elections.

WETANG'ULA
Mr Odinga successfully petitioned the August 8 election of President Kenyatta at the Supreme Court.

Nasa’s unity has been in question Mr Moses Wetang’ula was ousted as the Senate minority leader.

The ouster of the Bungoma senator saw him and Mr Mudavadi crisscross Vihiga and Bungoma counties where they addressed their supporters.

The two leaders from western Kenyan accused Mr Odinga of betrayal while ODM accused the two of betraying its leader.

The ODM leaders questioned the whereabouts of the two principals when Mr Odinga was being “sworn in” as the "people's president" on January 30.

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