NASA principals during a campaign event. [Photo/ Sokolako]
NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga has been accused of promoting tribalism after a list of the coalition’s leaders of the Senate and National Assembly got ‘leaked.’The list shows that the big winners are members of the Luo, Luhya and Kamba communities in the coalition. Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula retains his position as the leader of the minority in the Senate, while ODM chairman John Mbadi gets the prestigious role of National Assembly minority leader, to be deputized by Ayub Savula. Mr Wetangula’s deputy is Siaya Senator James Orengo. The chief whip in the National Assembly, according to the lineup, will be Robert Mbui, who will be assisted by MP Chris Wamalwa. Kenyans on social media have faulted the NASA principals, who come from the Luo, Luhya and Kamba communities, of promoting their tribesmen while sidelining other tribes which support the opposition, such as the Maasai, Abagusii, Turkana, Coast tribes among others. The Jubilee Party’s official leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, critics note, represent more elected leaders from diverse backgrounds — the Somali, Luhya, Kikuyu, Abagusii, Marakwet, Ameru among others. After the NASA ‘leaked’ list went viral on social media, coalition CEO Norman Magaya released a statement, saying the circulating line-up had not been fully agreed on. He said the opposition leaders will go for a retreat to come up with the list of their House leaders.