Reprieve for Wetangula after gazette notice on changes to Ford Kenya’s leadership recalled

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has withdrawn a case lodged against Kanduyi Member of Parliament Athanas W. Wamunyiny and Ford Kenya’s Secretary General Eseli Simiyu.

The latest comes after the Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu recalled a gazette notice that had published MP Wamunyinyi as the new Ford Kenya party leader.

On Friday, Law Society of Kenya President Nelsion Havi who was part of the team representing Senator Wetangula in court noted that the withdrawal of the gazette notice meant that Senator Wetangula had retained his position as the party leader.

“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,” Havi said.

The new development offers reprieve for the Bungoma Senator who has been facing mutiny from a section of the party that said his ouster was necessitated by the need to position the party better ahead of the 2022 pol.

Ford Kenya under Wetangula is now planning to discipline several members of the party who are behind the party’c coup and has asked them to issue apologies or face a disciplinary committee.

The committee to be chaired by West Mugirango lawmaker Vincent Kemosi is expected to listen to submissions of Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi MP), Secretary General Dr Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren) and the party’s woman league chair Cynthia Mutere.

Wetangula claims that some 14 signatures collected for his ouster were made by imposters who are not members of the party’s NEC.

Earlier on, Wetangula had asked his supporters to dismiss his “illegal ouster” which he claims was carried out by cowards who had ulterior motives.

“Don’t panic, coups are archaic to good order and activities of cowards. 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,” said Wetangula.