Friday, August 13, 2010

Is this the end of Ruto in ODM?

By Peter Opiyo

The political storm stirred by the referendum settled fast inside main parties, but not in Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement. Though Raila has since after the resounding victory by ‘Yes’ side maintained a reconciliatory tone, Members of Parliament from his party who met yesterday made no secret that they want Higher Education, William Ruto, and his so-called ‘rebel’ group stripped of all party and Government positions they hold by virtue of their ODM membership.

The accusation against them is that they donned ‘Red’ instead of ODM’s ‘Green’ uniform, and chose to play against their party in the referendum pitch. On the crosshairs are the 16 MPs, mainly from the Rift Valley, who joined Ruto in crisscrossing the country campaigning for ‘No’.

In the renewed attack on Ruto and his group, which builds on the falling out with Raila over the PM’s views on handling of post-election violence cases and Mau Forest evictions, one question sticks out: Is this the end of Ruto and his group in ODM?

Ruto, after all, is not an ordinary ODM member. He, like Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, is also a national deputy party leader.

Yesterday, the MPs who met under the umbrella of ODM Parliamentary Group were emphatic they want Ruto who was is in April relegated to the low-profile Ministry of Higher Education from Agriculture, sacked from Cabinet.

In what appears to be a continuation of the unbridled rivalry between the side in ODM sympathetic to Raila, and that leaning on Ruto’s shoulder, ODM Secretary general Anyang’ Nyong’o told a radio station the party has its internal disciplinary mechanism upon which those who disobey would be dealt with.

Hit new low

But at the meeting chaired by ODM Chairman Henry Kosgey, MPs were ardent the Eldoret North MP’s team must bear their own cross.

This would, if they have their way, mean the Ruto group would lose decision-making party slots and the Government positions. Sources told The Standard, that to placate Rift Valley’s ODM block, the MPs proposed Agriculture Minister Sally Kosgei, who was in ‘Yes’ side and succeeded Ruto at Kilimo House, takes his party slot.

They also proposed Ruto’s ministerial position be given to Margaret Kamar. She openly campaigned for ‘Yes’. MPs who attended the meeting said Mr Kosgey, who is the Industrialisation Minister and Tinderet MP, said only one MP from Ruto’s side attended the meeting, another indicator the relations between the two groups may have hit a new low.

Sources revealed Kosgey was hesitant the revenge on Ruto could boomerang on the party, and may also hurt him politically.

"The meeting resolved that Ruto and his allies be blocked from all decision-making positions in the party or Government," our source said.

After the meeting, the ODM PG secretary Ababu Namwamba, the MP for Budalang’i, confirmed to reporters MPs resolved Ruto and his allies be blocked from holding membership in Parliamentary Committees. This means Ruto could be out of candidature for the upcoming House Committee on the implementation of the new Constitution.

The Budalang’i MP, who said the meeting was attended by 70 MPs, said the MPs resolved that disciplinary action be taken against those who campaigned against the Proposed Constitution.

When Prof Nyong’o, who is the Medical Services minister, was asked about the type of disciplinary action to expect, he said: "The people of Kenya will be informed but the action has been endorsed by the Parliamentary Group."

When reporters told Nyong’o President Kibaki and Raila had said during the campaigns all were entitled to their opinion, he retorted: "If you spare the rod you spoil the child."

But Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny, who is allied to Ruto, dismissed those who attended the meeting as people driven by vengeance.

He claimed ODM had dictators and intolerant leadership who are not fit to lead, and "yet they pretend theirs is the most democratic party".

"They are targeting William Ruto because they are really worried about 2012 politics, and that is why they would wish to clip his wings. But they will not succeed because government belongs to voters and not dictators who sit in boardrooms," he boasted.

He claimed if the MPs who met had the powers, they would expel the 2.7 million Kenyans who voted ‘No’.

Kuttuny said it was mandatory for every MP to be a member of at least one committee, and a few ODM MPs could not take away this entitlement.

"Let them call a delegates meeting to decide on party position because we were not appointed by a clique of a few MPs in a boardroom meeting," said Kuttuny.

Keiyo North Lucas Chepkitony, who is aligned to Ruto and attended the meeting called for tolerance in ODM, arguing the MPs who campaigned for ‘No’ were expressing their democratic right. He cautioned the infighting would only make the party unpopular and called on leaders to respect the opinions of those with divergent views.

An MP revealed Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno was among those who took on Ruto.

"They spoke very harshly. It appears they are very bitter and they want to use every means to remove Ruto and his friends from the Government and party positions," he told The Standard.

Our sources also revealed western Kenya MPs took issue with the appointment of Dr Kosgey as Deputy Leader of Government Business because they felt it should have gone to Mudavadi. Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu raised the question but was told Raila made it. Yesterday, sources said ODM would push for a 27-member oversight committee with 14 slots for itself. Six MPs who were members of PSC led by Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohamed have been proposed for retention in the new committee. The other eight will be selected on regional basis. The decisions reached by the PG would have to be ratified by the National Executive Council. Even though sources said 30 MPs attended the PG, Ababu claimed 70 legislators endorsed the move on Ruto and his ‘No’ allies.

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