William Ruto plotting to replace Raila Odinga as Kenyan Premier?

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MPs now want Ruto to take over Premiership





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Suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto addresses a rally at Muliro Gardens in Webuye
By Tirop Benedict Posted Sunday, February 6 2011 at 12:31


Two Members of Parliament have called for Parliament's endorsement of suspended Education Minister William Ruto for the post of Prime Minister.

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The legislators, Cyrus Jirongo (Lugari) and Julius Kones (Konoin), argue that Raila Odinga no longer has the mandate to hold the position of Prime Minister since he has lost the support of a significant portion of members of Parliament.

The National Accord and Reconciliation Act, which forms the basis of the coalition government, recognizes the leader of the party with a majority in Parliament as the legitimate candidate for the Premiership. Currently Mr. Odinga holds the post owing to ODM's numerical supremacy over PNU in Parliament.

The legislators however called for a repeal of the accord to allow “for a leader with a large following of MPs to assume the position of Prime Minister." The duo spoke duo during a fund raiser in aid of Kimulot Educational Fund in Konoin constituency

Kones said circumstances had changed since the National Accord came into force in 2008 and said most MPs no longer support Mr Odinga.

“Who should be the Prime Minister? Raila with 40 MPs or William Ruto with over 60 MPs,” he asked a crowd in his constituency on Saturday.

The crowd roared back, “Ruto.”

“The spirit of the accord has changed drastically. We call for the repeal of the National Accord and Reconciliation Accord to accommodate these changing circumstances," Kones said.

He added: "Right now a Prime Minister with a minority following in parliament is blackmailing the government.”

Kones supported calls by legislators from PNU to pull out of the coalition government saying they (ODM rebels) would support them in their quest.

“We are ready to form a government of National Unity with the PNU side even if it means repealing the national accord,” he said.

On his side Jirongo said Mr Odinga no longer enjoys his initial following and should not hold the position of Prime Minister.

“You no longer have the following, why should you insist to be the Prime Minister?” he posed.

Jirongo added: “Raila Odinga got the position of Prime Minister because of the strength of ODM at that time. Now he longer has that strength."
 
MPs plot to send Raila home









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Prime Minister Raila Odinga (centre) and other guests in the Rift Valley district of Chepalungu on August 15, 2009. Photo/FILE
By TOM MATOKE tmatoke@ke.nationmedia.com AND GERALD ANDAE gandae@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Sunday, February 6 2011 at 22:14


Rift Valley MPs allied to Eldoret North MP William Ruto have vowed to ensure the removal of Prime Minister Raila Odinga through a vote of no confidence in Parliament due to what they term as ODM's dwindling numerical strength.

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However, legal experts say it would not be easy for the MPs as they are still in Parliament under ODM ticket with Mr Odinga as party leader.

The National Accord signed by President Kibaki and Mr Odinga says the PM should be a leader of the majority party in Parliament.

Former Kabete MP Paul Muite, a lawyer, says ODM MPs opposed to Mr Odinga should either use party machinery to remove him as ODM leader or resign and seek fresh mandate from the electorate.

"Only the party's national governing bodies can stop Mr Odinga being head of the party. The MPs should thus meet as a party and remove him," Mr Muite said.

Last Friday, the Rift Valley MPs allied to Mr Ruto, who were joined by a number from PNU and ODM-Kenya, said Mr Odinga lacked the numbers and thus, did not qualify to be the Prime Minister. (Read: Kosgei finally joins the pro-Ruto ODM faction)

They were speaking at Kaptumo grounds in Agriculture minister Sally Kosgei's Aldai constituency before she jumped ship from Mr Odinga's camp to Mr Ruto's in ODM.

Emgwen MP Elijah Langat said the government should be led by one person to avoid the wrangles that have been witnessed in the recent past.

"We are facing all the problems because of the two centres of power that the country has. For any country to be governed well, there should be one centre of power," said Mr Langat.

Medical assistant minister Kazungu Kambi said the marriage between President Kibaki and Mr Odinga would officially end on March 4 when PNU is expected to hold National Delegates Conference in Nairobi where it would be resolved that it walks out of the coalition.

"I want to believe that is the day when we shall officially end our relationship with the ODM wing of coalition," said Mr Kambi.



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  1. Submitted by alexmujuni
    Posted February 09, 2011 02:58 PM
    RAO is unbwogable

  2. Submitted by alfotula
    Posted February 09, 2011 09:09 AM
    Kibera is under NCC. Like Kibaki, Raila has delegated the small matter of managing the CDF to a committee. He is a mere member of that committee. Those who still live under the nortion that an MP is supposed to construct houses for them are ******. U build your own house and toilet. CDF is to be used for social good and not private good. Pls grow up, a little.

  3. Submitted by jawbone
    Posted February 09, 2011 12:55 AM
    Raila is Prime Minister owing to the fact that he was second to Kibaki in the general election so to state though he was rigged out. You have all the time to destroy but not to build. We destroy then borough money to rebuild. Why don't we borough to build?

 
Why they want Raila out

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Prime Minister Raila Odinga
By EMEKA MAYAKA GEKARA emayaka@ke.nationmedia.com Posted Saturday, February 5 2011 at 22:00


Just before Speaker Kenneth Marende ruled on President Kibaki's controversial nominations last Thursday, an ODM politician had an assurance for Eldoret North MP William Ruto. (Read: Speaker declines to make ruling over nominees)

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"Usijali mheshimiwa. Tutafanya kazi (Don't worry sir. We'll deal with it)," said Livestock assistant minister Aden Duale as he hurried into the chamber. The ODM politician is a close ally of Mr Ruto and deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

By that time, the seemingly excited PNU spin doctors had trooped to town, making frantic calls to journalists with the hope of shaping the political discourse after the Speaker's ruling.

Like Mr Duale, their main target was Prime Minister Raila Odinga who had caused a stalemate in Government by rejecting President Kibaki's nominees to the key positions of Chief Justice, Attorney-General, Director of Public Prosecution and Controller of Budget.

Apparently, the stalemate presented politicians with various individual and collective grievances against Mr Odinga with ammunition to fire at him.

It also brought to the fore intrigues touching on the Kibaki succession, with Mr Odinga's opponents latching at any opportunity to prod him to war in a bid to reduce his stature and political fortunes.

"Despite the merits of his argument about the CJ's appointment, Tinga (Mr Odinga) set himself up and gave his enemies fodder with which to fight him," says Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo.

According to Mr Kilonzo, the debate in Parliament turned out to be a political contest with Mr Odinga as the "common enemy". He added: "Let us not be naïve. We are in a fresh political contest."

Masinde Muliro University lecturer Egara Kabaji says the desire to "tame" Mr Odinga has overshadowed critical debates in government.

"His opponents are pre-occupied with coming up with new strategies on how to arrest this monster called Raila at the expense of articulating real issues," he said.

Leading the onslaught against the Prime Minister in the House was Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Cabinet ministers Kiraitu Murungi (Energy) and Njeru Githae (Nairobi Metropolitan).

However, operatives around the PM described Mr Kenyatta and Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura as the "nerve centre" of the anti-Raila campaign.

The other key participant is Mr Ruto who has fallen out with Mr Odinga over the International Criminal Court intervention in Kenya and restoration of the Mau water tower.

The three are among individuals who may be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court in connection with the post-election violence.

Mr Odinga's allies say the campaign is mainly aimed at shielding the three from the ICC intervention and stop the PM from succeeding President Kibaki after next year's elections.

Mr Musyoka has been at the centre of diplomatic efforts to persuade the world to support Kenya's bid to defer the ICC case for a year while Mr Odinga supports the prosecutions.

The PNU strategy, according to the Raila camp, is to enable them to conduct a snap election that would probably see Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto seize power.

"The idea is driven by the notion that it would be difficult for the ICC to prosecute people occupying such high-level positions in government," said a member of Mr Odinga's inner circle.

He said that controversial nominations of individuals to the powerful position of Chief Justice and the extension of the term of the Director of Intelligence were part of a PNU strategy to seize control of key institutions likely to be involved in the next political transition, and ICC investigations.

Mr Musyoka is seen to be positioning himself to win sympathy from Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto's Kikuyu and Kalenjin voting blocs if the two are indicted by the ICC.

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  1. Submitted by Jogso12
    Posted February 09, 2011 04:47 PM
    @mahrada u have said 'totally agree with collinsopande. Raila is the only hope for Kenya'. You are wrong, If Raila leaves the polical scene, there would never be PEV. He failed to respond gentlemanly to defeat and opted for the highway instead of highcourt

  2. Submitted by 3lisa1
    Posted February 09, 2011 02:22 PM
    @alfotula we all know that CDF came after Kibaki and before that time The then Government never used to allocate funds to MPs in opposition. Am sure you don't have a short memory. Plus the fact remains motorcade or not, the residents are benefiting from it. What has CDF done for Kibera now?

  3. Submitted by jamrats
    Posted February 09, 2011 10:15 AM
    Let them go and seek endorsement of the people. Kenyans are brighter today than they were yesterday. We will vote in substance and ideas and principles not tribe

 
Your scheme won't succeed, PM tells Ruto


 Updated 21 hr(s) ago
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By Peter Atsiaya and Osinde Obare
Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed MPs' efforts to oust him, saying plans to dim his political star would fail.
Speaking in North Rift yesterday, Raila said the war waged against him by ODM rebel MPs led by Eldoret North MP William Ruto would not see the light of day.
The PM once again dared Ruto and his allies, who are dissatisfied with his leadership in ODM, to quit the party.
"I am not scared of schemes by MPs to finish me politically. Their plans to oust me need not worry anybody," he said.
Raila dismissed the rebels as his political juniors and told them off.
"I wonder why these MPs are every day crying Raila's name. Ruto and his team do not play in the same league with me. They are in division three. I play in the super league."
The PM added: "You will not see me moving in the law courts day after day to face various charges like some of the leaders opposed to me because I am as clean as wool."
Raila said schemes by party MPs from Rift Valley were no threats to him because his confidence was in massive support from Kenyans. He reiterated ODM was still strong despite rebel MPs intending to defect.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga joins Kacheliba Secondary School students in dance during his tour of North Rift, yesterday. He dared disgruntled ODM leaders from the region to quit the party. [PHOTO: Peter Ochieng'/STANDARD]
"I wonder why they keep on saying they are leaving ODM, yet they never keep their word. Every day Raila is their campaign slogan," said Raila.
The PM was addressing a rally at Kacheliba during a one-day tour of Pokot County to assess the drought. He was accompanied by four ODM ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Fred Gumo, Paul Otuoma, and Otieno Kajwang'. Also Assistant minister Mohamud Mohammed and MPs Wilson Litole, Julius Murgor, and Musa Sirma were present.
Vote of no confidence
Raila said the Government had released 1,000 bags of maize and another 200 of beans for distributed to starving residents. He also said Sh500 million had been released to buy livestock from farmers threatened by drought and famine.
The PM has been on the receiving end from Ruto and his allies who have threatened to move a vote of no confidence in him in Parliament. The MPs also claimed plans were under way to replace Raila with Ruto as premier.
The PM criticised some 2012 presidential hopefuls, saying they had questionable leadership records.
"Majority of them have numerous cases pending in court and cannot be trusted with leadership. I urge Kenyans to screen and ensure only a leader with a clean record is endorsed to run the country," he said.
Raila said some of the presidential aspirants with questionable credentials are fueling hatred, malice and tribalism to sneak their way into leadership.
"This country cannot be ruled by hatred, malice and tribalism. We need leaders with vision and who put the interest of the county first," he urged.
The PM denounced the KKK alliance arguing it is meant to divide Kenyans and accused its architects of being tribalists. "You cannot campaign on a malicious platform and expect wananchi to buy it," he said.
 
I don't see Raila becoming the next Kenya's Presida!
 
genekai said:
I don't see Raila becoming the next Kenya's Presida!
Click to expand...

I agree with you, siuoni uwezekano wa mtu kuwa Rais wa Kenya bila ya support ya Rift Valley na Central Province.
 
Wishful thinking...Ruto can replace Raila only in lala land. They have short memories, the same Kaleos slaughtered Kiuks in RV...Have been systematically killing them in the guise of land clashes, remember the 90's. Now they want a political marriage of convenience...just because they are scared of Raila!!!hahaha. Wait and see after 2012 the way they will go at each others throats...The double dealing, backstabbing and snitching that will go on will read like a political thriller. ONLY in Kenya.
Infact to be a politician in Kenya you have to be a cross between a phoenix and a cat. Be able to rise up from the ashes as you use one of your 9 lives.
I can see another PEV worse than 07-08...if this tribal nonsense is not contained.
 
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