CORD drops rebel MPs from Parliamentary committee

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has struck Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani off the House Business Committee, replacing him with Mombasa Women Representative Mishi Mboko.

Mwashetani, who was elected to the National Assembly on Ford Kenya party ticket has been accused by CORD of rebellion and insubordination and working with Jubilee.

Kilifi South MP Mustafa Iddi, Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima and Kwale Women Representative Zainab Chidzuga are also under investigation over similar links.

Borabu MP Ben Momanyi and Langata MP Joash Olum are other CORD legislators who have left the House Business Committee, with ODM chair John Mbadi saying the two opted out of the committee.

The move has elicited sharp criticism from Jubilee MPs with Majority Leader Aden Duale questioning ODM’s motive.

In his explanation, National Assembly Minority Leader and Wundayi MP Thomas Mwadeghu ruled out any malice in the party’s decision saying the members were removed from the committee over cases of absenteeism.

Evidently, however, ODM is seeking to express its steely stand on cases of party hopping and insurrection within the party.

Last year, the party removed Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro as minority chief whip in the National Assembly for allegedly working with the government, replacing him with Mwadeghu.

Mung’aro later boycotted ODM’s grassroots election leading to the loss of his seat as the Kilifi County Organising Secretary.

@benjaminwafula