Make-or-break for NASA as principals meet

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga and his co-principals are set to hold a crisis meeting that could either affirm his January 31st inauguration date or have the event cancelled altogether.

The make-or-break meeting set to be held in Odinga’s Capitol Hill office today comes in the backdrop of claims that the opposition leader’s ODM Party was lording over other affiliates by taking most parliamentary leadership slots.

“One of the issues that are going to be discussed tomorrow in the meeting which I’m supposed to attend is the swearing in of Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka on January 30th. The discussion will centre on that and do some fine tuning on what will take place,” said former Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama.

Infighting between NASA affiliate parties; ODM, Amani National Congress (ANC), Wiper and FORD Kenya over parliamentary leadership has threatened to tear the coalition apart.

Issues that have threatened to split the coalition include ODM’s move to take eight out of the 14 key slots in the House committees leaving six seats to be shared among ANC, Wiper and FORD Kenya.

In the National Assembly, John Mbadi of ODM is the Minority leader, deputised by Wiper’s Robert Mbui.

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed also from ODM holds the Minority Whip office deputised by FORD-Kenya’s Chris Wamalwa.

In the Senate, Moses Wetangula retained his seat with ODM again picking Siaya Senator James Orengo as his deputy.

Wiper’s Mutula Kilonzo Jnr and ANC’s Patronilla Were were holding the Senate Minority Whip offices.

In the three House watchdog committees reserved for the opposition –  the Public Accounts Committee, Public Investments Committee and Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee –  the Orange party elbowed its sister parties bagging all the three seats initially reserved for Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC that had got only one seat.

In the lucrative Parliamentary Service Commission, out of the three seats, ANC Party got one slot, with ODM taking two slots including one that had been reserved for Wiper party’s Ben Momanyi of Borabu.

Even as anxiety grips Odinga’s supporters over his oath plans, other principals want the opposition chief to drop his swearing in plans.

The David Ndii-led team held talks with Governors Kivutha Kibwana and Charity Ngilu, and resolved to have Ukambani People’s Assembly forum take place in Machakos on Friday, January 19.