The Office of Registrar of Political Parties has gazetted intended changes in Ford Kenya party leadership amid deep divisions.
A section of the party members led by Secretary-General Esseli Simiyu met last week and voted to remove Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula as party leader.
The party intends to replace Wetangula with Kanduyi Member of Parliament Wafula Wamunyinyi on an interim basis.
In a gazette notice dated Monday, June 8, Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu called on any party member with an issue with the intended changes to make submissions within a period of seven days before the changes are ratified.
Also targeted in the changes is the party’s organising secretary Chris Mandu Mandu.
Read: Ford Kenya Kicks Out Moses Wetangula As Party Leader
Josephine Maungu has been fronted as Mandu’s replacement.
Wetangula and his allies have in the recent days tried to fight the changes exposing the divisions in the party.
The leaders opposed to the changes accuse ODM leader Raila Odinga and vocal trade unionist Francis Atwoli of meddling with Ford Kenya affairs.
Wetangula had termed his ouster as unlawful and archaic.
Reacting to the changes that were effected during a meeting held Radisson Blue hotel on Sunday, May 31, Wetangula said the “errant” members have no authority to make such changes.
Wetangula said members who attended the purported National Executive Council (NEC) meeting were imposters airlifted from different parts of the country despite Covid-19 restrictions.
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“They were airlifting people yesterday from Kisumu and Mombasa, persons who are not officials of the party. Persons who are not NEC members… They took them through an unlawful meeting where they purported to make decisions affecting this party without authority because they are not lawfully assembled and they have no authority to make the changes, ” Wetangula said in a statement from the Ford Kenya’s headquarters, off Ngong Road.
The Senator said Ford Kenya members who participated in the process would face disciplinary action.
Consequently, he said, Eseli had been suspended as secretary-general by the real NEC members.
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“Regrettably, my close friend and the person I grew up with, is suspended and will be replaced by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa,” said Wetangula.
“Wafula Wamunyinyi , a man who has walked in my shadow, has also been suspended and we have appointed Vincent Kemosi as the new secretary for Livestock.”
The Senator is accused of having interfered in the party’s 2017 nomination process that cost Ford Kenya parliamentary seats and failing to reconcile warring parties to eliminate friction.
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