A number of Gusii leaders have thrown their support behind embattled Senate’s Public Accounts and Investment committee chair Okong’o Mong’are who was de-whipped moments after he was elected to the lucrative watchdog committee.
Mr Mong’are, who also doubles as Nyamira senator, was de-whipped by minority whip Johnston Muthama on allegations that he is a Jubilee government sympathizer, an action that has elicited sharp criticism from top leadership in Gusii region.
On Wednesday, Nyaribari Chache MP Richard Tong’i, Nyabari Masaba's Elijah Moindi and Borabu’s Ben Momanyi accused CORD coalition of dictatorship and challenged its top leadership to lead by example.
“I am shocked that our brother (Okong’o) can be targeted just because he comes from a small community. He was democratically elected and it’s shameful that CORD which purports to stand for democracy infringes the same principles of democracy,” Tong’i said.
Moindi on his part vowed to stand by the embattled chairman and threatened to lead mass protest in Gusii land to rebuke the act.
“We stand by Okong’o because he won the election in the committee. This is demeaning our community that actually voted for CORD in 2013. It’s not yet over and our people will fight for their rights,” he said.
Momanyi demanded that the decision is reversed within two days and urged CORD leader Raila Odinga to address the matter.
“Muthama has no option but to reverse the decision because it’s an abuse on democracy. I want to plead with my party leader Raila Odinga to address the matter before it escalates,” said the Wiper MP.
The three were speaking at Nyamira town on Thursday evening during the announcement of KNUT regional elections in which Ken Nyamwanda was elected branch Chairman and Ken Migosi as his secretary.