LAST week’s public spat between Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife Ida and Gender minister Naomi Shaban at an international women’s conference in New York has been blamed on junior civil servants.
Staff from Ida’s office clashed with Shaban’s office over who should head the Kenya delegation to the 55th UN Conference of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Apparently Gender PS Dr James Nyikal had in consultation with officials from the PM’s office decided to replace Shaban with Ida as the head of the delegation without informing the minister.
Delegates at the conference were then treated to a rare drama as the two sets of delegates — one led by Ida and the other by Shaban — both insisted they were the official government delegation and should present the official government statement.
The Kenyan statement was supposed to be delivered on Wednesday but was postponed until Thursday to allow the two delegations to resolve the issue.
Acting Foreign Affairs PS Francis Wamoto intervened to resolve the issue and to avoid embarrassment, it was agreed that Ida would read the government statement.
But even after this was decided, Shaban’s staff refused to release the official statement to Ida who had to present a hurriedly prepared statement on the measures the government was taking to improve the status of Kenyan women. “She (Ida) was allotted 20 minutes but she only spoke for less 10 minutes as she had no prepared statement to read,” the source said.
Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi who attended the meeting pinned the blame on Ida’s ambition. “Her action was precipitated by her thirst and hunger for power,” Murugi said in Murang’a over the weekend.
Murugi explained how she was woken up in her hotel room and informed that the ‘First Lady’ from Kenya had arrived. She said she went down to the hotel lobby only to find it was Ida who had arrived with her entourage. “People have become so desperate for power to a point of lacking respect for the First Lady Mrs Lucy Kibaki,” Murugi said.
Raila’s spokesman Dennis Onyango yesterday declined to comment on the matter saying the issue “has expired.” “That is an incident which took place long time ago and I would rather you deal with the embassy in New York,” he added.
Speaking from the UN headquarters in New York, Shaban sought to downplay the issue saying it was “a small dispute” which had been solved amicably.
She said in the end Kenya had a wonderful presentation to the conference on Friday discussing the efforts to end female genital mutilation. “We had a small confusion but it was resolved and we got two slots on Thursday and Friday. Ida read the statement while I made a presentation on Friday.”
Yesterday, another source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs blamed junior officers and a powerful official from the Office of Prime Minister for the misunderstanding. “I think somebody from the Prime Minister’s office was misadvised to have Ida slotted as the head of delegation yet she was listed as part of the delegation,” the source added.
MPs Johnstone Muthama (Kangundo), Peter Mwathi (Limuru), Silas Muriuki (Imenti North) and Ituiku Mbai (Masinga) yesterday said the PM’s wife was out of order. “Ida knew very well that Dr Shaban was to speak on behalf of the Kenyan delegation but she insisted on talking causing a protocol hitch and greatly embarrassing our country,” said acting Government Chief Whip Johnstone Muthama.
The MPs accused the PM of misusing public resources by influencing the inclusion of his wife in the team which travelled to the United States for the conference.
The MPs challenged Raila to explain in what capacity his wife had joined the government delegation. “We are informed that the Americans later met on their own to discuss the incident and were appalled by the tug of war between the minister and the PM’s spouse,” Mwathi said.
Mbai said Raila “should put his house in order”.
The legislators were speaking at AIC Kangonde in Masinga during a funds rally.
Staff from Ida’s office clashed with Shaban’s office over who should head the Kenya delegation to the 55th UN Conference of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Apparently Gender PS Dr James Nyikal had in consultation with officials from the PM’s office decided to replace Shaban with Ida as the head of the delegation without informing the minister.
Delegates at the conference were then treated to a rare drama as the two sets of delegates — one led by Ida and the other by Shaban — both insisted they were the official government delegation and should present the official government statement.
The Kenyan statement was supposed to be delivered on Wednesday but was postponed until Thursday to allow the two delegations to resolve the issue.
Acting Foreign Affairs PS Francis Wamoto intervened to resolve the issue and to avoid embarrassment, it was agreed that Ida would read the government statement.
But even after this was decided, Shaban’s staff refused to release the official statement to Ida who had to present a hurriedly prepared statement on the measures the government was taking to improve the status of Kenyan women. “She (Ida) was allotted 20 minutes but she only spoke for less 10 minutes as she had no prepared statement to read,” the source said.
Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi who attended the meeting pinned the blame on Ida’s ambition. “Her action was precipitated by her thirst and hunger for power,” Murugi said in Murang’a over the weekend.
Murugi explained how she was woken up in her hotel room and informed that the ‘First Lady’ from Kenya had arrived. She said she went down to the hotel lobby only to find it was Ida who had arrived with her entourage. “People have become so desperate for power to a point of lacking respect for the First Lady Mrs Lucy Kibaki,” Murugi said.
Raila’s spokesman Dennis Onyango yesterday declined to comment on the matter saying the issue “has expired.” “That is an incident which took place long time ago and I would rather you deal with the embassy in New York,” he added.
Speaking from the UN headquarters in New York, Shaban sought to downplay the issue saying it was “a small dispute” which had been solved amicably.
She said in the end Kenya had a wonderful presentation to the conference on Friday discussing the efforts to end female genital mutilation. “We had a small confusion but it was resolved and we got two slots on Thursday and Friday. Ida read the statement while I made a presentation on Friday.”
Yesterday, another source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs blamed junior officers and a powerful official from the Office of Prime Minister for the misunderstanding. “I think somebody from the Prime Minister’s office was misadvised to have Ida slotted as the head of delegation yet she was listed as part of the delegation,” the source added.
MPs Johnstone Muthama (Kangundo), Peter Mwathi (Limuru), Silas Muriuki (Imenti North) and Ituiku Mbai (Masinga) yesterday said the PM’s wife was out of order. “Ida knew very well that Dr Shaban was to speak on behalf of the Kenyan delegation but she insisted on talking causing a protocol hitch and greatly embarrassing our country,” said acting Government Chief Whip Johnstone Muthama.
The MPs accused the PM of misusing public resources by influencing the inclusion of his wife in the team which travelled to the United States for the conference.
The MPs challenged Raila to explain in what capacity his wife had joined the government delegation. “We are informed that the Americans later met on their own to discuss the incident and were appalled by the tug of war between the minister and the PM’s spouse,” Mwathi said.
Mbai said Raila “should put his house in order”.
The legislators were speaking at AIC Kangonde in Masinga during a funds rally.
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Its a family totally drunk with leadership!
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