Blaming Raila for revenue impasse unfair - Mbadi

Raila Odinga’s ODM party has fought off assertions the party has abandoned its traditional support bases in the Senate’s revenue sharing formula impasse.

The party came under scathing attack by Coast MPs who accused Raila of failing to rally his troops to reject the contentious formula.

Malindi’s Aisha Jumwa, Lungalunga’s Khatib Mwashetani and Nyali’s Mohamed Ali made the claims in a presser convened by ODM’s Owen Baya (Kilifi North).

But ODM said it was unfair to single out Luo senators - and by extension Raila - yet the formula’s support pattern defied party leanings whether Kieleweke, Tangatanga, ANC or other groupings.

The party holds that support for the formula is based on whose county is gaining or losing hence it is wrong to single out other counties as ignoring their counterparts.

The party says the revenue sharing formula is not an ODM problem but a national matter that lies squarely in the hands of senators.

ODM chairman John Mbadi told the Star it would be prudent for those who blame Raila to focus on Jubilee leaders President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto.

He cited the case of Nairobi’s Johnson Sakaja and to some extent Philip Mpaayei of Kajiado who defied the position taken by President Kenyatta’s Kieleweke side.

Stung by claims that Raila’s absence caused a leadership gap in the party, ODM said it can’t be so, as Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, the deputy majority leader, did not vote with the majority.

“Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji who is Uhuru’s friend and leading the BBI is voting against the position of the majority. How come no one is looking at that?” Mbadi asked.

The Suba South MP said it was hypocritical of the group – largely made of Ruto allies - to blame Raila yet senators allied to the DP supported the formula.

He observed that senators allied to Ruto apart from Elgeyo Markawet’s Kipchumba Murkomen support the formula, which hurts the Coast.

“Why not tell Ruto to ask the senators of Nandi, Bomet, Kericho, Laikipia, Nakuru, and Meru’s Mithika Linturi to vote against the population matrix?” he posed.

“This is political mischief. Why don’t they persuade him (Ruto) to help them? Senators are voting for the population and hence against the interest of the Coast and they are quiet about that.

“Those guys are voting as individuals, not as Tangatanga, Kieleweke or ODM. Why not direct the arsenals at those senators?”

Mbadi said it was dishonest for people who had severed links with Raila and had a new political friend called Ruto to attacking ODM and its party leader.

“They are using the revenue debate to remain relevant and antagonise ODM in its support bases yet they know the support defies party line,” Mbadi said.

He said Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Siaya senators support the formula because they are gaining.

“They are thus voting selfishly just like Kericho and Nandi, Bomet, Nakuru, Laikipia counties, which are gaining.”

Mbadi added there were only six exceptional circumstances where senators were voting in solidarity with their neighbours, hence that can’t be treated as defiance.

Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri voted against the formula to support Nyamira, which is losing significant amounts.

“Kisii is gaining marginally while Nyamira is losing significantly and therefore the wider Abagusii community is perceived to be losing, hence you expect Ongeri to vote with Senator Okong'o Omogeni. This has nothing to do with political party defiance,” Mbadi said.

He said the same was the case with ANC’s Cleophas Malala who voted against population to save Vihiga, yet Kakamega is gaining.

ODM says Narok is equally losing hence the support by Mositet. Machakos will gain but its senator has chosen to stand with Makueni and Kitui.

“The only senators who have defied the odds are Sakaja and Murkomen,” the ODM chairman said.