City hall politics have taken a new twist after ODM party replaced the Nairobi county assembly Minority Leader and Whip.
In a letter to acting speaker Mwaura Chege, ODM chairman John Mbadi replaced Kileleshwa MCA Elias Otieno with Highrise MCA Kennedy Oyugi as Minority leader.
On the other hand,Lower Savanna MCA Nicholas Okumu will replace Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok as Minority chief whip.
Political pundits see it as a game plan by former governor Dr Evans Kidero to stifle city politics and distabilise the current governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko.
Kennedy Obuya was Dr Kidero’s bodyguard and a close ally. On the other hand, Elisha Otieno served as the Majoity Leader in Kidero’s regime but fell out with the governor towards the 2017 general election.
Otieno led in the forceful removal of Magarer Langat as ODM executive director, something that did not augur well with Kidero.
The replacement of Mr Otieno with Obuya is seen as a tactic by Dr Kidero through ODM marshals to keep an eye on the creme de la creme of the city politics.
However, the replacement might not be a walk in the park as reports reaching Kahawa Tungu indicate that MCAs close to Kenedy Obuya have faulted the move terming Obuya incapable. Consequently, rebellion is expected from the MCAs.
“Kidero is trying hard to put a strong up a strong team to oust Governor Mike Sonko,” says a sources close to the dealings.
The rebellion has already started being felt, as the acting speaker says that Mbadi acted unprocedurally, hence he “cannot act on the changes”.
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“In your case, the recognised entity at the County Assembly is NASA, which is a coalition. Indeed, you will note that the Deputy Minority Leader at the Assembly is from a different party, but in the same coalition. Therefore, the decisions contemplated in your letter can only emanate from your coalition…” reads Mwaura’s letter in part.
It is expected that the forces behind the removal of the leaders will not settle for less, with Kidero determined to make a come back to the City Hall to try and calm things in the graft charges facing him.
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