A storm is brewing in the Cord coalition, after Moses Wetangula’s allies said he will not apologise to Raila Odinga over alleged abusive remarks.
While addressing his supporters in Narok, Wetangula likened Raila to a barren cow, referring to his three failed attempts to be President.
The Ford Kenya leader urged Raila to support Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka or himself in 2017 general election.
His remarks were deemed offensive by a section of ODM Members of Parliament and the Luo Council of Elders, who asked him to apologise to the opposition chief.
“He should apologise. Raila is not a woman who cannot conceive as he suggested. We all know what happened in 2017 and 2013. His election was stolen and even Jubilee knows that. We are displeased with Wetangula's analogy," said Luo Elders chairman Willis Otondi on Monday.
While responding to the apology requests, Ford Kenya’s Chris Wamalwa and Ferdinand Wanyonyi, who are close allies to Wetangula, said the elders and MPs were belittling their party leader.
“The council should not expect an apology from Senator Wetang’ula just because they mistook his use of figurative language for an abuse. He did not abuse him at all as alleged,” Kiminini MP Wamalwa said in Kitale on Wednesday.
Kwanza MP Wanyonyi said, “the Bukusu culture is full of sayings and proverbs that were put in place by our forefathers just like any other community. The use of the sayings by leaders in their addresses should not be taken as abuse.”
Reports say Wetangula is uncomfortable in the Cord coalition, with ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi likely to join the largest opposition coalition.
Mudavadi, whose party has attracted several elected leaders from Jubilee, had hinted at forming an alliance with Cord in a bid to oust the ruling coalition form power.