Musalia Mudavadi, the Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader on Sunday, May 31, accused Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli of involvement in a plot that saw Moses Wetangula removed as Ford Kenya party leader.
Ford Kenya’s National Executive Council (NEC) led by Secretary-General Eseli Simiyu announced following a chaotic meeting on May 31 that Wetangula had been dismissed as Party leader.
Wetangula hosted his own press conference minutes later where he dismissed the purported changes as unlawful and proceeded to undertake his own shake-up which included suspending Simiyu as Secretary-General.
Mudavadi claimed that an unnamed party leader within the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition was working with Atwoli to dominate other political parties.
“I am aware that this mischief has been in the making for some time now. It is calculated to invade and destabilise all independent-minded political parties.
“The mischief has been escalated at a number of meetings led by the leader of a NASA member-party, whose objective is to dominate and destroy everyone politically. In this, they are aided by the Secretary-General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU).
“This ugly ploy reminds us of the Watergate Scandal of 1972 when the leader of a political party in the United States invaded another party in the manner we are now witnessing in Kenya,” his statement read in part.
Rubbishing the purported NEC meeting, Mudavadi stood with Wetangula as he promised not to recognise the changes.
He claimed that the machinations were supported financially by external players, and urged Wetangula’s team to move swiftly to restore order to the party.
“On my own behalf and on behalf of the entire fraternity of Amani National Congress, I wish to assure Senator Wetangula that we stand solidly with him,” the statement noted.
Mudavadi’s allegations on Atwoli came after the COTU Secretary-General hosted a large delegation of leaders from Western Kenya at his home in Kajiado on Friday, May 29.
Other than sparking an uproar over the leaders’ failure to observe various social distancing measures, it raised eyebrows due to the nature of discussions.
It was attended by leaders including Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, with the meeting centered on the region’s place in the ongoing push for Constitutional reforms.
