Keep off Ford-K matters, Weta tells Eseli, Wamunyinyi

 

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula has told Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi and his Tongareni counterpart Eseli Simiyu to keep off Ford Kenya affairs.

He said the duo were expelled from the party and should not purport to speak on its matters. Wetang'ula said he is the legitimate party leader. He spoke while drumming up support for Ford Kenya candidate Majimbo Kalasinga in Kabuchai. The constituency will have a by-election on Thursday.

The Wamunyinyi faction is embroiled in wrangles pitting it against the Wetang'ula camp over the bonafide officials of the party. Wamunyinyi was made the interim party leader, but Weatang'ula dismissed the move as a coup and sought legal redress. The disputes have yet to be resolved.  

On Saturday, Wamunyinyi told ODM party leader Raila Odinga some of those who met President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, were not party leaders. This was in an apparent reference to Wetang'ula. The MP spoke at the funeral service for Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati's mother.

Last week, Uhuru met leaders of major political parties in Nairobi. They were Raila, Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Charity Ngilu (Narc) and Wetang'ula. 

But Wamunyinyi questioned why the President did not invite him to the meeting, insisting that the Bungoma senator is no longer a party leader.

"I want you and the President to recognise me as the official party leader of Ford Kenya as Wetng'ula was replaced by National Executive Council members," he told Raila.

Wamunyinyi claimed that Wetang'ula was only clinging to court orders but he was no longer the party's leader.

However, Wetang'ula affirmed that his team was recognised by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties. He urged Wamunyinyi to accept and move on.

"If indeed Wamumunyi and Eseli are the owners of Ford Kenya, why have they not fielded their candidate here in Kabuchai?" he asked.

He said the attempted coup on him failed and that the duo has nothing to tell people as they had resorted to fooling party members.

Wetang'ula said Ford Kenya is still strong under his leadership and poised to clinch the Kabuchai seat by a big margin.

He said both Wamunyinyi and Eseli were being used by outsiders to undermine him adding that it was the reason they were pleading to be recognised.

He asked residents to turn up in large numbers and vote for the Ford Kenya candidate so that they "shame the devil".

He condemned last week attacks on Ford Kenya supporters when two people were seriously injured, cautioning that the attackers were rattling a snake.

"We have been championing peaceful campaigns, but let our opponents not capitalise on that to rattle us as we are capable of revenging," he warned.

He also said that, as party leaders, they will have another meeting with the President this week to deliberate more on the BBI.  BY THE STAR