Wiper in CORD to stay, coalition still strong Senator Hassan Omar

Wiper Democratic Movement Secretary General Hassan Omar has allayed fears of probable fallout between the party and other affiliate members of the CORD coalition.

In an interview with Citizen Digital on Wednesday, Omar indicated that reports that Wiper was on its way out of the coalition were false and malicious saying the party is strongly positioned in the coalition.

Omar’s response was in connection to a post on a Twitter account (@WiperPartyKe), which has since been established to be a parody, intimating that Wiper was an ‘unsatisfied party’ in the coalition.

The post, which caused a social media buzz, stated: “Even in the animal farm, problems started when some felt they were more ‘equal’ than others…”

Omar has, however, clarified that the account is fake noting that the official Wiper account is @WiperMovement.

In a follow-up interview on Thursday, the Mombasa Senator accused Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya of causing confusion that led to the mayhem last Saturday during the launch of CORD co-principal Moses Wetangula’s presidential bid.

He said that Oparanya had caused confusion by trying to move the event to a different ground saying his move was selfish and aimed at solidifying his position and not the coalition.

“Oparanya focused on his personal issues instead of looking at the interest of CORD. If he was scared that the event would be turned into Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale’s governorship bid, he should have come and plead his case,” he stated.

Omar stated that CORD members should not allow tussle for positions to divide them noting that the coalition should put up a strong front.

He faulted the apparent move by Raila Odinga to skip Wetangula’s launch over security fears saying similar communication should have been made to other CORD co-principals.

“Raila is being misadvised by his close confidants’ and he should kick them out. It is wrong to advise CORD to take over a Ford Kenya event and turn it into a coalition affair.”

Despite public denials by CORD parties, critics have pointed at a growing discontent within the coalition that may be detrimental to its unity.

On Sunday, just a day after the troubled presidential launch by Wetangula, Raila Odinga spokesperson Dennis Onyango posted on his official Facebook account that they are ready for divorce “if the marriage is not working.”

In a bid to put up a strong showing after the Masinde Muliro violence, however, CORD CEO Norman Magaya blamed Jubilee for the chaos saying the coalition is stronger than before.

“We wish to remind Jubilee that the CORD principals are ideologically united and cannot fall for such cheap state sponsored mechanisations. We wish to assure our supporters that the CORD coalition remains united than hitherto.”

Ford Kenya officials have however linked ODM to the chaos pointing at rowdy youth in ODM t-shirts ad evidence to their claims.

The party leader Moses Wetangula, in his interview with Citizen Digital on Thursday, said CORD leader Raila Odinga is better placed to answer questions on why he was absent during his launch.

He, however, said that CORD is a three-party coalition and no one party can kick the other out.

Wetangula noted that they have held meetings with Raila Odinga and CORD co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka to discuss the current circumstances in the coalition.

In a press briefing held later on Thursday, Wiper leader and CORD co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka said that Odinga was sorry for missing Wetangula’s presidential bid launch adding that proponents of division within CORD will not succeed in their effort to cause divisions in the coalition.

@benjaminwafula