NAIROBI, Kenya July 31 – FORD Kenya party has officially exited from the National Super Alliance (NASA), becoming the fourth to quit the once formidable alliance that was led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga whose Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) also quit.
Also out of the alliance is former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party and Amani National Congress (ANC) party of Musalia Mudavadi. Chama Cha Mashinani party owned by former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto is also set to exit.
“FORD Kenya does and hereby withdraws from NASA coalition with immediate effect,” said Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday.
The parties formed the alliance in 2017 General Election when they supported Odinga as their presidential candidate.
According to NASA Constitution, the coalition’s dissolution takes effect with the exit of three partners.
The coalition’s troubles that began immediately after losing the polls to President Uhuru Kenyatta were fuelled by mistrust among the coalition partners.
On Saturday, Wetangula said the party will now be forging new political partnerships with like-minded leaders even as he drummed up support for the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) where his party is a member alongside ANC, Wiper and KANU.
Following the coalition’s dissolution, Wetangula welcomed the decision by ODM to share the political funds which were remitted by the Registrar of Political Parties to the outfit.
In the sharing arrangement, FORD Kenya is set to be allocated Sh36 million for the financial years 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.
“FORD Kenya welcomes a letter written to NASA partners by the leader of ODM on matters of accountability and demands the complete statement of account of party resources from the national coffers be rendered in accordance with the Political Parties Act so that all the coalition partners can get their and just dues from the proceeds of public resources,” he said.
With Mudavadi, Musyoka and Wetangula having exited the coalition and charting their own political path, Odinga who has since hinted at making his fifth stab at the presidency has been left isolated as the 2022 General Election political arithmetic remains uncertain.
Odinga is however, banking on the support of President Uhuru Kenyatta following their March 2018 handshake that signalled the end of their political animosity in what angered his Deputy William Ruto who is also eying the presidency.
ODM and Jubilee were initially working on a political partnership that was geared towards producing a joint presidential candidate for the high-stake 2022 General Election but the plan was paused by the latter owing to their own internal challenges fuelled by disgruntlement of some members.
Whereas it is still unclear if the plan would be resuscitated, Odinga is confident that his new-found partnership with President Kenyatta is solid and would ultimately have a huge influence on his candidature.
Odinga, who was last week endorsed by a section of Central Kenya leaders at a meeting in Gatanga, has however, previously noted that he is not interested in President Kenyatta’s endorsement instead saying he is only keen on his vote.
KANU which is also associated with the One Kenya Alliance has remained committal that the alliance is unstoppable even as it reiterated that its partnership with the Jubilee Party is still intact until the end of its term in office.
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