Raila extends olive branch

Raila Odinga appeared to extend an olive branch to Rift Valley MPs during his second visit to the province in as many weeks.

“I have no problem with any MP and there is no infighting in ODM as we have no reasons to fight,” Mr Odinga said during his tour of Konoin constituency.

Last week, Mr Odinga said he would deal directly with voters after a rebellion of MPs who have differed with him over Mau Forest, among other issues.

On Sunday, the MPs maintained their boycott of his meetings, with some claiming that they had not been invited.

In a separate meeting, assistant minister Charles Keter and MPs Isaac Ruto and Julius Kones, questioned Mr Odinga’s motives of touring the region without involving them and said he was probably seeking to undercut them.

On Sunday, the PM toured Konoin constituency — represented by Dr Kones — and spoke of his determination to conserve the Mau Forest without forcibly evicting the settlers.

There was a heavy police presence when the PM’s helicopter landed at Mogogosiek Township primary school grounds.

At Boito Primary School, Nominated MP Musa Sirma was heckled by the crowd when he claimed to represent the absent Rift Valley MPs.

Mr Odinga said he was visiting Rift Valley not to undermine the local leaders, but to thank the electorate for voting for him in 2007.

He said Mau Forest settlers who had title deeds would be compensated and those who were not ready to leave the farms would be resettled elsewhere. Following the destruction of water towers, Mr Odinga said, the country was now facing an acute shortage of water which has led to a food crisis, with 10 million Kenyans facing starvation.

Dr Kones, the area MP, skipped the PM’s visit just like his Chepalungu counterpart Isaac Ruto did last week on grounds that he was not invited. He said he knew of the visit on Saturday through church leaders.

At a rally in Chepalungu, the PM told off the MPs from the region. He declared that he would not be intimidated by threats from them, and that he would deal directly with the voters