The row between the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Jubilee Party dragged from Parliament to social media pages as the Azimio La Umoja affiliates continue to wrangle over key positions.
ODM's Homa Bay Town MP, Opondo George Kaluma, on Saturday, November 12, engaged former Nyeri Town MP, Jubilee's Ngunjiri Wambugu, in a bitter confrontation over nominations to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Ngunjiri appeared to have been triggered by ODM's decision to nominate Winnie Odinga, Raila Odinga's daughter, for the EALA post.
"It's wrong of Azimio and Raila Odinga to nominate his daughter to EALA. It's so sad. Absolutely sad. Am sad," Ngunjiri tweeted.
He further lamented that the party abandoned him after the August 2022 election.
"We supported Raila, lost our seats, but we are locked out. It's annoying!" Ngunjiri added.
Three hours later, the MP got a resounding rebuttal from ODM stalwart Opondo Kaluma, who told him off. Kaluma defended Winnie, who has been a subject of debate and online trolls since her nomination.
"The nomination slots have been shared among Azimio parties. ODM has nominated six candidates (including Winnie) to be considered by MPs during the election of EALA MPs," Opondo responded on Twitter.
Kaluma asked Ngunjiri to accept his current societal status and move on peacefully. Wambugu lost to UDA's Duncan Mathenge in the August 9 General Election.
"Ask Jubilee to nominate you. We're past petty blackmail. Ugua pole (quick recovery)," Opondo trolled the MP, who ventured into business after the defeat.
ODM settled on Winnie (Nairobi), Suleiman Shahbal (Mombasa), Mohammed Diriye (Wajir) Timothy Bosire (Nyamira), Beatrice Askul (Turkana) and Justus Kizito (Kakamega) as its EALA nominees.
The names were ratified after ODM Selection Committee, presided by the deputy party leader, Wycliffe Oparanya, met on Tuesday, November 8.
Jubilee and ODM have been at each other's throats in recent past weeks, with the former accusing the latter of bullying its way into the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
ODM was accused of removing Jubilee and Wiper members from the list of nominees to the PSC and violating the Azimio coalition agreements to share the three slots offered to the opposition.
Jubilee's Isiolo senator, Fatuma Dullo, was replaced with ODM's Nyamira counterpart Okong'o Omogeni. Others in the opposition list were Sabina Chege (nominated), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo) and Adan Kenyan (Eldas).
