Power wrangles hit Nairobi Nasa team
A power sharing row that is threatening to tear apart Nairobi’s National Super Alliance (Nasa) team seems to be far from over after efforts by Governor Evans Kidero to avert possible fallout failed at the weekend.
Governor Kidero and his Deputy Jonathan Mueke last Friday held a meeting with some 400 Nairobi Wiper Party leaders at Uhuru Park, where he promised to ensure that all Nasa affiliate parties will be fully involved in campaign activities.
Dr Kidero promised to bring together all leaders from Nasa affiliate parties as he called for unity.
UNDERMINE EACH OTHER
He warned against attempts by Nasa’s constituent parties to undermine each other, noting that the coalition risked losing seats to Jubilee if rifts among parties are allowed to dominate their campaign agenda.
“We lost seats in 2013 because we could not agree as Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord), but this time we have worked together with a great sense of respect for the last four years and we cannot risk making a mistake at this hour of need,” said Dr Kidero.
CHANGED AGENDA
The Governor was put to task by the Wiper leaders who claimed that ODM did not respect affiliate parties, citing that during his political rallies everything is turned into an ODM affair, to the dismay of aspirants from other parties.
According to the rival team that held a parallel meeting at a city hotel, Dr Kidero had changed the agenda of the meeting which they had agreed they would agree on how to share seats.
Led by the Nairobi Wiper candidates’ caucus chairman, Mutiso Mutinda, the group said that governor has been funding ODM aspirants leaving them out.
They lamented that Dr Kidero never recognises them in rallies and only calls upon ODM candidates to address supporters during the rallies.
SIX-PIECE VOTE
Wiper also complained that during a recent rally in Dagoretti constituency last Monday, Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga called for a six-piece vote and backed his ODM party candidates alienating those from affiliate parties.
During the rally, Mr Odinga did not recognise the Wiper Woman Rep candidate who forced herself to the podium to address the crowd.
Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke said that they could be forced to seek help from the principals indicating that already, a proposal had been sent to them on the way forward to ensure that Nasa wins majority of the seats in the capital.
“Wiper is the second largest party in Nasa and we should stop lying to ourselves and wasting time because we know who is stronger in what place, so all we have to do is come together and agree,” he said.