How meeting ended PNU push against ODM

By Standard Reporter
From the time House Speaker Kenneth Marende ruled that President Kibaki failed the constitutional test, MPs allied to Kibaki have been on the offensive.
The MPs drawn from Kibaki’s PNU side of Government and those from ODM but allied to Eldoret North MP William Ruto have addressed numerous rallies and press conferences to announce that the gloves were off.
And their target was Mr Marende, whom they accused of pitching for Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the tussle over nominations to key constitutional offices. Also in their crosshairs was Raila.
Sunday saw the most highly charged speeches and on Monday MPs supporting Kibaki were holed up in meetings late into the evening.
Their war plans were, however, called off yesterday after what insiders say was the culmination of a series of meetings that also included one at State House.
It all started with an early morning meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto at Palacina Hotel. Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi later joined the two. After a meeting that lasted for almost an hour, the three leaders drove to State House where sources privy to meetings said they held discussions with Kibaki with whom they discussed the options open for them on the nominations row.
At the meeting, it was agreed that the best way for the row to be handled was to recall the list from Parliament and ensure that in the new search, there would be "minimum consultation" between Kibaki and Raila.
Brief speeches
At the same time a PNU Parliamentary Group meeting was called to which politicians allied to Ruto had also been invited.
Those from ODM who attended the meeting at KICC included Tourism Minister Najib Balala, ODM chairman Henry Kosgey (Tinderet), East Africa Community Minister Hellen Sambili and several others. Ford People’s Manson Nyamweya was also at the meeting.
An MP who had accompanied Uhuru, Ruto and Kiraitu to State House said they left State House and held a meeting with the MPs whom he said numbered 119 before inviting Kibaki to KICC.
"We wanted to carry our MPs with us so that they are not taken by surprise if Kibaki announced the withdrawal of the nominations from his office," said the MP. But majority wanted to continue with the offensive against the Prime Minister.
When Kibaki joined the MPs, the meeting was called into order and several were called to give brief speeches.
Mandera Central MP Mohamed Abdikadir, who is a member the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Committee of Parliament, gave a speech.
Ruto then followed him before Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka invited the President to the podium.
PM consulted
"Kibaki gave brief comments before we gathered outside for the announcement," said the MP who requested anonymity.
Kibaki read a brief speech effectively bringing to a halt a battle that was expected in Parliament in which MPs backing him were expected to try and overturn Marende’s ruling.
Jeremiah Kioni, who had filed the Motion to reopen Marende’s ruling for debate, was yesterday standing one row behind Kibaki as he read the statement.
Dujis MP Aden Duale, who was among the MPs who attended the meeting, said majority of them insisted that Kibaki had consulted PM over the nominations even though Raila later denied he was consulted.
"We told Kibaki that now and in the future when he has to meet the PM he should also inform the media of the invitation and also disclose the discussions," said Duale.
The ODM MP said eight members of the Justice committee who attended the meeting agreed that Kibaki did not act unconstitutionally.
"But just like the committee members we also agreed that the job of the Chief Justice is sensitive and because of the acrimony we said that Kibaki should now ignore the transitional clauses that he relied on earlier and involve the JSC," he said.
Kibaki’s announcement forced Raila to change a speech he wanted to read at 4pm. The PM thanked the President, saying that wise counsel had prevailed.