CORD LEADER Raila Odinga has sent a direct warning to ODM MPs in the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) to do all they can to ensure a move by Jubilee to replace Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba as Parliamentary Accounts Committee chair is resisted.
PAC chairmanship is a preserve of the opposition and the next chair will still come from ODM. Already, majority leader Aden Duale has earmarkd one of the three ODM MPs pushing for the removal of Ababu.
Raila has threatened dire action to MPs who support the move to vote out Namwamba, including being dewhipped from the powerful PAC committee. Raila’s warning was delivered during a tense meeting between ODM’s PAC members and the Cord top brass in Parliament, including Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula.
“Jakom’s message was very clear, that the party is standing with the chair,†an MP who attended the meeting confided to the Star. “He said that going against the directive would attract serious disciplinary action – including being de-whipped.â€
Three ODM MPs in PAC – Omondi Anyanga, Abbas Mohammed and Andrew Mwadime – have ganged up with Jubilee legislators to remove Namwamba over bribery allegations.  Majority Leader Aden Duale, is rallying its members to support Abbas for the position, a preserve of the opposition.
“Anyaga (Nyatike MP) wrongly believed that he would take over as the Chair if Ababu is removed. What he is not aware of is that Duale is fronting Abbas. If members were to vote, Abbas would be the next PAC chairman,†another MP told the Star.
The PAC wrangles is threatening to jeopardise ODM’s unity barely months after Raila brokered a delicate leadership deal that ended months of a vicious leadership row. ODM MPS opposed to Namwamba insist that he has failed to boost the opposition’s profile in the war on graft
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