Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Politicians claim PM has agenda against R. Valley

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is being accused of scheming to divide the Rift Valley communities through Cabinet appointments.

Three MPs from the North Rift area claimed on Tuesday that their community was being victimised and punished for holding divergent views to what the PM stands for.

Citing Monday’s Cabinet reshuffle that saw the appointment of Prof Margaret Kamar (Eldoret East) as the new Assistant Minister for Environment replacing Mr Jackson Kiptanui (Keiyo South), they said the move was a deliberate attempt to sideline the Kalenjins in Government.

The fate of Mr Kiptanui who was in charge of the Mineral Resources docket is yet to be known as he was not transferred to any other ministry.

On Tuesday, the MP said he had not received any sacking letter and had not been officially informed of any decision about his status.

He saw it as a move to victimise him for campaigning against the new Constitution. “It is very unfortunate that even after the assurances during the referendum that no one shall be victimised, they have started with me today,” he said.

“This is a clear indication that loyalty plays a key role and if you aren’t loyal then you are punished, so this is meant to teach me a lesson,” he told Daily Nation.

Systematic

Speaking at Parliament Buildings, Mr Charles Keter (Belgut), Dr Julius Kones (Konoin) and Mr Joshua Kutuny (Cherengany) said it was obvious that reshuffles in Cabinet have affected ODM MPs who have been seen as uncooperative.

“Whereas in the PNU side nobody has been dropped as a minister or assistant, on the ODM side there is a systematic way of dropping people regardless of the assurances that have been given,” Mr Keter said.

The former Energy assistant minister said he has never been given a sacking letter but his salary was stopped and he still has the appointing letter.

“My colleague Hon Kiptanui has suffered the same fate, and we want to ask the PM whether he means what he says when he says no one will be victimised, my removal was because of opposing the Constitution just as Hon Kiptanui,” he said.

The MP claimed Kalenjins are falling victim in the Cabinet changes and accused the PM of betrayal.

“We remind the PM that Kalenjins died for him, many were injured and shot by police fighting for him to be president and there is no day he has gone to console families and assist them, what he does is sack their people for divergent opinion,” he stated.

He accused the PM of dictatorship saying he was worse than the most renowned African dictators, adding that he had perfected former President Moi’s leadership style.

“In Kenya given a chance the PM is worse than all those dictators,” he stated.

“Kenyans should know the PM is a real dictator, he comes out in public to say those with divergent views will be accommodated but behind the scenes he victimises them, but some of us will not cowed and stop speaking,” the MP said.

Way Out

He said it was obvious that Higher Education Minister William Ruto and Constitution Affairs assistant minister William Cheptumo were also on their way out.

“Next may be Hon Cheptumo and then Mr Ruto, he is dealing with us slowly by slowly but we will not succumb to his dictatorship,” he said.

Dr Kones claimed Kalenjins in the Civil Service were also complaining of victimisation.

“We see this as a systematic scheme by some people to either punish what they have labelled wrongly as rebel MPs and also a systematic scheme to portray the Kalenjin community negatively,” he said.

“It very ironical for the PM to continue to say he is a democrat yet he practises the opposite,” he said.

He said both Mr Keter and Mr Kiptanui have been edged out of the Cabinet without any clear reasons. “They have very clean records during their short stint as assistant ministers so what other explanation can one give if not victimisation,” he stated.

“We even have a lot of reports from our brothers in Civil Service that they are also feeling the heat and that wherever they are, they are being told they are not fit to be there and we feel this is not proper because we belong to Kenya and rightfully in the coalition government.

The MPs applauded President Mwai Kibaki, saying unlike the PM, he has managed to be tolerant and accommodative of all including those who hold divergent views.

“He has managed his side well, but the PM seems to have another agenda which we don’t understand by trying to exclude a community from other Kenyans,” he said.

Mr Kutuny said the changes were causing concern and were regrettable.

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