The Coalition for Reform and Democracy, CORD, has distanced itself from the current plans by a section of Jubilee coalition to impeach the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Devolution.
Addressing the matter in Nairobi, Cord chief whip in the National Assembly, Jakoyo Midiwo dissociated the opposition saying the motion resulted from internal feuds between the partners in the ruling Jubilee coalition consisting of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA) and his deputy William Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP).
Mr Midiwo also affirmed that the opposition, CORD, was not ready to be sucked into the motion of impeaching the embattled Devolution CS, who has been accused of arbitrary transfers and sacking of civil servants.
“It is a war between Uhuru and Ruto. We as a coalition are not involved in the feud between the Jubilee partners,” the ODM chief whip said in reference to the impeachment motion.
Meanwhile, Igembe Central MP, Mithika Linturi, has vowed to push for Ms Waiguru’s impeachment despite pressure from what he refers to as “high places” urging him to abandon the motion. He however declined to disclose the identities of individuals in the "high places".
The legislator confirmed that he had already collected 160 signatures from MPs in support of the motion and even though one of the signatories had withdrawn his support, he was still visiting more MPs to drum support for the motion in Parliament.
“Only one of the signatories has withdrawn and we are still going on. I will not abandon the motion until she either resigns or we force her out,” he said adding. Mr Linturi claimed that the Devolution Cabinet Secretary was dangerous for the ruling coalition as she was purportedly annoying partners of the coalition which may result in a fallout between them. He accused those supporting of the Devolution Cabinet Secretary of not addressing pertinent issues raised.
The TNA legislator also alleged that government functionaries supporting the minister had mobilized elders in his constituency to pressurize on him into abandoning the motion.
“We want the people supporting her to stick to issues and tell us why we should not bring this cabinet secretary to account instead of resorting to intimidation," said Mr Linturi.
Ms Waiguru has been under fire over alleged arbitrary transfer of the former National Youth Service director, Kiplimo Rugut from the organization and replacing him with Mr Nelson Githinji who was a Comptroller at State House.
The Deputy President, Mr Ruto, however over the weekend defended the embattled cabinet secretary accusing those pushing for her removal of targeting the wrong person and insisting that he and the President were entirely responsible for Mr Rugut’s removal from the well-funded State department.
But the fiery Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter , who was in Kuresoi for a fundraising maintained that the Deputy President’s party, URP, was being short-changed in public appointments despite the enormous support they gave the Jubilee government.
In Nairobi, a group of women leaders defended Ms Waiguru, alleging that she was a target of malicious campaigns crafted to discredit women who had proved to be efficient and effective in discharging their duties.
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