Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has reclaimed his position as Ford-Kenya’s Party Leader after Political Parties Disputes Tribunal affirmed him as the legitimate leader.
Daily Nation was first to report that Wetangula had been reinstated following wrangles between his faction and that lead by Kanduyi MP Athanas Wamunyinyi.
Citizen TV added that the Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu recalled a gazette notice that had declared Wamunyinyi as the new party leader.
Wetangula also withdrew a case he had filed against Wamunyinyi and Ford Kenya’s Secretary-General Eseli Simiyu.
“The Registrar of Political Parties has recalled the 8th June gazette notice on changes made to the Ford Kenya party, as far as we are concerned, Wetangula is still the Ford Kenya leader,” Wetangula’s lawyer Nelson Havi stated.
Simiyu and Wamunyinyi are, on Tuesday, June 16, set to face a disciplinary committee over their attempt to oust Wetangula.
The committee will be chaired by West Mugirango lawmaker Vincent Kemosi.
Wamunyinyi’s faction had earlier on accused Wetangula of threatening and intimidating NEC members who signed to out Wetangula. They also alleged that Wetangula was forcing the members to refute their signatures used to oust him.
Wetangula was further accused of threatening Ford-Kenya members opposing him with de-whippings from National Assembly committees and overseeing their recall.
However, the Senator reiterated that he was the party’s leader while accusing ODM’s Raila Odinga and Central Organisation Trade Union Secretary-General Francis Atwoli of orchestrating the plot.
“Anybody who wants to run for a seat in Ford Kenya file your papers and let’s meet at Bomas. I have no doubt delegates will still give me a chance to run this party. We condemn any idlers who are staging parochial coups in the party when the country is facing COVID-19 challenges, floods, and locust invasion,” Wetangula stated while addressing the media on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
