Fresh leadership wrangles have again erupted in Ford Kenya after a group led by Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu called a national delegates conference to elect new party officials.
A newsletter from Eseli said the agenda of the said meeting will be preliminary, adoption of agenda, approval of previous minutes, the election of national officials and any other business.
The meeting had been planned to take place for November 6 at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.
“Court order or no court order, the owners of the party—who are the registered party members—will be electing new leadership,” Eseli said.
Row in Ford Kenya dates back to May 2020 after a section of its leaders resolved to dismiss Wetangula on the ground of misconduct.
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Wetangula was then purportedly replaced by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi as the interim party leader.
Addressing the press after the delegates meeting, Eseli then said the party had lost its identity under Wetangula's leadership.
He also accused Bungoma Senator Wetangula of running to courts to remain as party leader.
A fraction of leaders allied to Wetangula then threatened Eseli and Wamunyinyi with legal action for convening the meeting.
On Monday, Eseli maintained that Ford Kenya is in violation of the law as matters stand
“Parties are suspected to hold elections regularly and in a transparent manner. The last time Ford Kenya held elections was in 2011. Our constitution says we should have elections every four years, meaning we were to have one in 2015 and another one in 2019,” he said.
Eseli also wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties, saying Wetangula should not represent the party in any coalition agreements.
He also said he had written to ODM, asking the Raila Odinga-led party to withhold Ford Kenya's share of money from the Political Parties Fund.
ODM said it would withhold the Sh36 million share of Ford Kenya until the court decides who the genuine party leaders are.