A former confidant to Mombasa governor Hassan Ali Joho has been replaced as the Mombasa county assembly majority chief whip.
The controversial Freretown member of county assembly [MCA] Charles Juma Kitula who shifted his loyalty to Nyali MP Mohamed Ali alias Jicho Pevu was replaced by his Ganjoni/Shimanzi Ward counterpart, who is county assembly transport chairperson, Priscilla Mumba.
The changes were contained in a letter to the county speaker Harub Khatri from ODM county secretariat signed by Geoffery Busaka.
But there was drama at the county assembly when Deputy Speaker Fadhili Makarani, who was chairing the day's session, skipped the day's session paper in which he was supposed to communicate the ODM letter to the county assembly.
He instead adjourned the assembly until October 9 to enable members to travel and attend this year’s County Assemblies Sports Association (CASA) games in Uasin Gishu County.
The move prompted women MCAs to protest and forced the day's sitting to end prematurely.
Hell broke loose with the deputy speaker being accused of taking sides instead of being neutral to an extent of ignoring the ODM letter to effect the change.
Led by nominated MCA Amriya Juma Boy they demanded the county assembly to recognize their colleague's leadership.
She was flanked by her colleagues who wanted the county assembly to respect party changes and decisions.
They displayed the ODM letter outside the county assembly while dancing and chanting party slogans bringing operations at the county offices to a standstill.
According to a copy of the letter which replaced Kitula as county majority chief whip the move will address the gender issue at the county assembly leadership.
ODM county boss has accused embattled Kitula of not being effective in his position and that on several occasions he failed to whip the party members towards party agenda.
Busaka said in his letter he regrets the party was forced to come with the painful decision to replace Kitula with immediate effect.
The Women leaders today held a meeting with Governor Joho, it is still not yet clear what they discussed.
The newly appointed chief whip was flanked by the National Women caucas chair Milka Moraa Ngare who is also a nominated mca at the msa county assembly on an ODM ticket during the meeting with Governor Joho.
