Meso accuses DAP-K of short-changing aspirants
Trouble is brewing within the Democratic Action Party (DAP)-Kenya with a former Agricultural Finance Corporation managing director Lucas Meso accusing its leadership for plotting to short-changed some aspirants.
Meso who has declared his interest for the Busia governorship, claimed the party associated with Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has identified certain aspirants for direct nomination.
The former AFC boss claimed the party has sidelined him together with some other founder members in favour of some Johnny-come-lately politicians.
“We brought DAP-K to Busia and popularised it in the county. But it is now surprising that the same leadership we helped has now turned against us.
We shall not sit watching as they arm-twist and blackmail us,” Meso told journalists in Butula during a campaign tour.
Meso, an economist, questioned the rationale used by the party to conduct primaries in Busia while dishing out direct tickets to aspirants in other counties of western region such as Bungoma, Kakamega and Vihiga.
“Subjecting the people of Busia to nominations while at the same time giving direct tickets in other areas must stop.
There is no time for nominations nor shall the people of Busia accept to be discriminated upon,” said Meso.
He proposed that DAP-K give direct tickets to all its loyal members found to be strong on the ground without any discrimination.
Meso claimed a section of the party leadership seems to have panicked and is apparently shopping for other candidates.
“We have given them five days to resolve the issue failing which we shall take the matter in our own hands and decide the way forward. We can’t accept to be shortchanged,” he vowed.
The former AFC boss denied claims by some DAP-K leaders he has been blocking new members from joining the party.
“We welcome all new members to join DAP-K, but we are completely opposed to the scheme by a section of the leadership to bring in new members whom they intend to dish out direct tickets,” he said.