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Raila and ODM foes step up war of words
By SATURDAY NATION Team newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Friday, January 14 2011 at 21:00
In Summary
- A day after North Rift leaders vowed to leave his party, PM dares them to move out and says he'll win 2012
The war of words between senior ODM figures continued on Friday with Prime Minister Raila Odinga challenging his critics to quit.
Mr Odinga, who spoke when he commissioned Butali Sugar Mills in Kakamega County, dared MPs allied to suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto, who were grumbling and threatening to quit the party, to go ahead and do so.
Mr Ruto himself did not let up, announcing that a meeting in Mombasa on Saturday will strategise on their next move.
Suspended Industrialisation minister Henry Kosgey was more measured in an interview with Saturday Nation in which he sought to explain his absence from a crucial meeting on Thursday of a party which he chairs.
Agriculture Minister Sally Kosgei similarly reacted to media speculation about her political stand after it emerged that she had left the position of Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament to which she was nominated by ODM.
Mr Odinga's remarks followed reports that MPs from North Rift had resolved not to defend their posts in ODM polls scheduled for March.
Dr Kosgei did not attend the function though it involved her ministry, further fuelling speculation of a fallout with Mr Odinga.
However, other ODM sources said she feared a hostile reception in Kakamega where she was perceived to have opposed the new sugar factory.
Mr Odinga defended Dr Kosgei against the allegations and instead blamed the Kenya Sugar Board over the confusion surrounding the factory and the rival West Kenya Sugar company.
The population in the area had blamed the ODM leadership for delays in commissioning the factory.
Mr Odinga expressed confidence that he would win the presidency if he is nominated the ODM candidate next year.
Grassroots elections planned for March 5 to 9 were meant to clean up ineffective leadership from ODM, Mr Odinga said, and called on Kenyans to unite and vote for a president who was not tribal and would fight corruption.
He criticised his ODM critics for engaging in a propaganda campaign meant to undermine the party leadership.
Mr Ruto's group, which yesterday claimed support from a membership of 70 MPs, said they would meet grassroots leaders from the region.
It emerged on Friday that the ODM chairman was frustrated by the failure to reach the party leader (Mr Odinga) after he was named among the Ocampo Six and was later arraigned in court on charges of abuse of office.
Mr Kosgey this week hosted a daylong meeting of North Rift leaders, including those who are perceived to be support the Prime Minister.
The meeting reportedly resolved to relinquish their party positions and any they hold in Parliament in readiness for a party switch as they prepare for the General Election in 2012.
If accounts of that meeting are to believed, ODM chairman Henry Kosgey and deputy organising secretary Benjamin Langat are expected to relinquish their party positions.
Also expected to quit party positions are leaders from other regions at the Coast and North Eastern including the party treasurer Hassan Joho, Assistant Minister for Livestock Mr Adan Duale, Deputy Secretary General and Moyale MP Mr Mohamud Mohamed.
Asked if Mr Kosgey and the Agriculture Minister, Dr Sally Kosgei, arguably the two closest confidants of PM in the Kalenjin community, were considering joining the other Kalenjin MPs who have openly declared that they will move to UDM, Mr Ruto said plans to that effect had been finalised and that ODM had lost support in the region that voted for Mr Odinga overwhelmingly.
"It is sad that Mr Odinga destroyed ODM immediately we begun the coalition government. He first denounced the youth who supported him through demonstrations and who were later arrested. He later went ahead to make sure there were Kalenjin IDPs by forcefully evicting them out of Mau," said Mr Ruto, whose relationship with Mr Odinga is at rock bottom.
But Dr Kosgei yesterday said she resigned from the position of the Deputy Leader of Government in Parliament because she wanted to give her ministerial docket her full commitment.
The minister said those speculating that she had resigned as part of a wider strategy by ODM members from the Kalenjin community to pull out of ODM were free to do so but that her reasons were straightforward.
"This is a very busy ministry and it would be very unfortunate for me to operate here theoretically," Dr Kosgei said.
"To take effective action, I cannot be a theoretical minister for Agriculture, I have to be out there to see what is going on for myself," she said, citing the famine situation in parts of the country as one of the pressing urgent matters that need her presence on the ground.
"For me to sit here, it is not going to work," she said in an interview with the Nation at her office on Friday.
"I had to choose if I wanted a title as Deputy Leader of Government Business or I should be responsive to the needs of the people," she said.
The minister said anyone with goodwill would understand she has to do her job and has to go out there.
"People don't think for me and if someone wants to put a twist to it, then let them do it," said the MP, who is also an experienced technocrat.
In a letter to the PM, Dr Kosgei cited her busy schedule at the Agriculture ministry as the reason behind her decision.
During Friday's interview, Dr Kosgei, who replaced Mr Ruto at the Agriculture ministry after being transferred from the Higher Education ministry docket, however, said she would never run away from her community.
She also stated she would not be committing political suicide.
"The fact is I come from the Rift Valley and I have always stood with my people," she stated. "Why did anybody think I shouldn't," she posed.
A former envoy and head of the Civil Service, Dr Kosgei said she was "a very good friend" of the Prime Minister, citing their political relationship since 2007.
The Aldai MP said she has not sat in any strategy meeting and she was not a camp follower.
"If there has been any strategy meeting, I have not sat in such a meeting," she said.
However, she was swift to add that the fact remains she is from Rift Valley.
"Everyone comes from a community and I am from Rift Valley. If the Rift Valley is going to move out of the ODM, then let us wait for that time and see where to go," she stated.
"I am not in the business of committing political suicide and I will deal with the situation when it comes," she added.
Mr Kosgey also sought to explain on Friday why he skipped Thursday's ODM meeting as local community leaders said they were bitter with Mr Odinga for not coming to his defence.
"I was too busy with my lawyers in connection with recent events taking place in Kenya and outside since my name was implicated as among the Ocampo Six last month," he said.
Said the MP for Tindiret: "I skipped yesterday's (Thursday) meeting because I was holding a series of meetings with my lawyers to see how best to solve these problems since I was implicated."
He said he was still the party chairman and had not stated that he was out of race for post of chairman.
"Who told you that I am not seeking the ODM party chairmanship's post? Why can't you wait until the time for election to come and you can ask that question? For now I am putting all my energy to see justice is done and to have my name cleared."
Meanwhile, Dr Kosgei's moved was welcomed by a group of farmers who said she can now address such issues as the acquisition of fertilisers and inputs at subsidised prices.
The farmers led by Mr Kipkorir arap Menjo said the Sh500 million released by the government to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) for the purchase of maize was too little.
Reported by Benson Amadala, Caroline Wafula, Tom Matoke, Jacob Ng'etich and Wycliff Kipsang
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Raila%20and%20ODM%20foes%20step%20up%20war%20of%20 words%20%20/-/1064/1089758/-/view/printVersion/-/3lw1o5/-/index.html
Why were women barred from Uhuru meeting?
Published on
By Steve Mkawale
No woman or media personality, regardless of gender was allowed into the meeting of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Kikuyu MPs and prominent businessmen on Wednesday.
It also emerged that this was a discussion forum on the Kibaki Succession, with a bias to who will bear the community's flag should Uhuru be stopped from running by The Hague-related issues.
The meeting at Uhuru's father's Gicheha Farm in Nakuru and attended by prominent members of the community with political, farming and business interests in Rift Valley reportedly discussed issues of mutual interest on politics, economy and security. "We discussed the importance of remaining united as a community and how we can work with the Kalenjin community in the future," revealed an elder from Nakuru.
Security was tight at the meeting, which was also a no-go zone for women and news crews. All elders who attended went through vetting at the gate before they were allowed in.
Those who turned up are wealthy and influential people from Kitale, Eldoret, Nakuru, Molo, Njoro, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Kericho and other parts of Rift Valley.
Surprise meeting
Most of them were deeply involved in Uhuru's campaign when he vied for the presidency after former President Moi retired in 2002.
The highly secretive meeting in Nakuru County caught many people by surprise.
Sources familiar with the discussions said the agenda included Uhuru's presidential bid in 2012, Kalenjin and Kikuyu unity in Rift Valley and the International Criminal Court charges facing Uhuru and Eldoret North MP William Ruto, who is from the Kalenjin community.
"The elders were picked by a Council of Elders, whose members include current and former MPs, most of them business tycoons," said the source.
Top on the agenda was unity among themselves and co-operation with ‘host' communities in the Rift because they have invested heavily in the region and risk losing property and lives should tribal clashes recur.
It was also argued that they would easily lock out Orange Democratic Movement leader Mr Raila Odinga from Rift Valley if they worked with leaders like Ruto.
Although organisers of the meeting insisted it was meant to discuss the political and economic future of the Kikuyu community in the region, the secrecy around it was baffling.
Eyebrows were raised when it turned out it was out of bounds for women even if they were leaders.
Even female journalists who were assigned to cover the meeting were barred from accessing the venue when Nakuru Town MP Lee Kinyanjui called the media for briefing.
Guards at the main gate told journalists: "We have been instructed this meeting is for elders from the Kikuyu community and no woman is allowed in."
As journalists were arguing with the guards, Uhuru who flew in by helicopter, left shortly after 6pm, without saying a word to the media.
Tradition dictates
An official at the Ministry of Finance who had sent invitations to the media via text messages was equally baffled when informed about this.
Asked why women were locked out of the meeting, an MP who attended the meeting said it was a "men's affair...This was a meeting for elders and leaders of our community and traditions dictate that women keep off," said the MP who did not wish to be named.
Most of those who attended the meeting and interviewed by The Standard begged not to be named for reasons they would not divulge.
Sources told The Standard the proceedings were conducted in Gikuyu language.
"Everyone who stood to address the meeting spoke in Kikuyu," said one of the speakers who did not want to be quoted in the media lest he be branded a traitor.
Lock out Raila
Last year, Uhuru had a similar meeting in Gatundu. An elder revealed the agenda of the meeting was to mandate Uhuru to seek a political alliance with the Kalenjin through Ruto.
"Elders in Rift Valley want the alliance between the two because it will effectively lock out Raila of the region," said the elder.
"It is our feeling that by going for a political alliance with the Kalenjin, our future in the region as a community is guaranteed," another elder who attended and addressed the meeting said.
Seven MPs from Nakuru and Laikipia Counties attended the meeting. They were Mr Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru town), Subukia's Nelson Gaichuhie, Joseph Kiuna (Molo), John Mututho (Naivasha), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East) and Nderitu Mureithi (Laikipia West). They all spoke at the meeting.
The Kikuyu elders included Samuel Maigwa, former mayor D.K. Kanyi, Joseph Gichuru, and businessmen Boniface Muhia and Peter Njeru. Councillors Zacharia Njeru, David Gikaria and Nakuru County Council Chairman John Murigo were among civic leaders who attended the meeting.
Although the chairman of the Nakuru Kikuyu Council of Elders Mr Samuel Maigwa maintained it was called to discuss the political and economic future of the community, much of what was discussed was their political survival in the region.
Political alliance
"We need to unite and strengthen our relationships with our brothers on the other side (Kalenjins) who have hosted us here," said one of the civic leaders.
"We need numbers ahead of the general election and we can only achieve that through alliances with like-minded people like Ruto (William)," Muthutho was quoted as saying.
On the ICC case, the elders and the leaders unanimously agreed to back Uhuru, who is one of the six suspects listed by Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
Uhuru reportedly said he was ready to form a political alliance with other communities, especially the Kalenjin.
Leaders to take over
He said despite the ICC case he was ready to roll out his presidential campaign for 2012.
"I know I am innocent about the post-election violence but if they (ICC) take me away my campaign for the presidency will not be in vain since I am working with many leaders who can take over," the Finance minister told the elders.
He maintained he was innocent and that the only crime against him was to assist those displaced during the violence.
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/print.php?id=2000026186&cid=4
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