Siaya Senator James Orengo has said his election as the Leader of Minority in the Senate was done by 19 Senators without any coercion.
Orengo who appeared for an interview at Citizen TV yesterday, after his election was ratified by Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka noted that the decision was not made by an individual but by the Parliamentary Group which is dully mandated to make such a decision.
He said he accepts the role of Minority Leader. However, he said he is hesitant to take up the role at the moment until the Principals meet on Thursday and deliberate on the issue.
“Before I sit on the seat, I have to give space to the principals to go through what has taken place,” said Orengo.
The Siaya Senator and NASA lead counsel maintained that the decision to oust Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula was not an ODM affair since Senators from NASA affiliate parties gave nod for him to assume the role of Minority Leader.
“This was a decision reached by the senators themselves.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Ford Kenya members led by former Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale and Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu accused ODM of engineering the plot to remove their party leader as Minority whip.
Adding to claims that Wetangula failed to deliver in his capacity as Minority Leader, Orengo in a statement seemingly supporting this notion said it is hard for an individual who is at the NASA summit to deliver while taking up another leadership role in the Senate.
“It is not easy for a person at the summit leadership level to be accountable to the Electoral College, being the members of the coalition,” offered Orengo.
Orengo dispelled rumors that there is bad blood between NASA leader Raila Odinga and Wetangula which allegedly played out last week during NASA summit in Athi River.