The Standard On Sunday has reliably established that while the PM chaired ODM’s Parliamentary Group and National Executive Council (NEC) meeting last Tuesday where members agreed that the party offers moral and legal support to three of the ‘Ocampo Six’, the position was rescinded by the party Secretary General Anyang’ Nyong’o soon after following a review of the consequences.
Ideally, the party is now torn between those keen at having the party make realistic gains in pockets of Rift Valley and those interested in appealing to victims of post-election violence and retaining credibility in the eyes of the national and international community.
 |
| Walking a tight rope: Tricky balance between winning back support in Rift Valley and championing justice for chaos victims causes tension in Raila’s party as MPs argue that PNU considered more caring. |
The fresh cracks pose a major challenge to the party that seeks to revamp itself in readiness for General Election, due next year.
The push to hire lawyers for ODM deputy party leader, William Ruto, Chairman, Henry Kosgey, and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang came out of political considerations.
Unlike PNU, whose actions have been viewed as placing impediments in the way of justice, ODM has consistently painted the image of supporting the pursuit of justice for victims of the post-election violence.
Sources at the meeting on Tuesday say the issue of having ODM lawyers at The Hague to take care of party interests were discussed before Roads Minister Franklin Bett proposed that the party gives legal support for Ruto, Kosgey, and Sang.
Assistant Minister Margaret Kamar, Sotik MP Joyce Laboso, and majority of other MPs from other regions supported the proposal.
Members support
Most MPs expressed concern that the party was not showing support to its members who are facing trials at the ICC. They said this is hurting the party politically as President Kibaki’s party PNU is exploiting this to its advantage.
Whereas one group reasoned the party needs to accommodate the interests of the Kalenjin members to regain support in parts of the Rift Valley where Ruto has swayed support against the PM and the Orange party, others argued that Ruto and the other rebels have crossed the red line and were no longer in the party.
Sources at the Tuesday meeting reveal that Bett, Kamar, Laboso and Bomet MP Beatrice Kones pleaded with colleagues to stand with its members especially Ruto and Kosgey, saying the ground had become too hostile for them as they are viewed as ‘traitors’.
Other considerations notwithstanding, the move to reverse the members’ agreement has attracted the ire of a section of ODM MPs. It is now turning into a quiet supremacy battle that pits ODM Parliamentary Group Secretary Ababu Namwamba and deputy Secretary General Joseph Nkaiserry against Nyong’o.
"Huyu Nyong’o anaharibia PM (Nyong’o is ruining it all for the PM). We often discuss issues and arrive at a decision, but he has the tendency of going against the collective position," says a Cabinet minister who did not wish to be seen to publicly criticise a colleague.
Singling out Nyong’o and Orengo as among those "ruining the party", the minister claims the duo add no value "since Raila will still win votes in Nyanza with or without their support."
The minister blames Nyong’o and Orengo for shielding and gradually isolating the PM from other political leaders. Orengo was out of the country during the Tuesday meeting.
International community
ODM members have previously sought to oust Nyong’o, accusing him of not being in touch with the aspirations of party members.
Members are now seeing the emerging cracks as a threat to ODM’s unity.
"We have been consistent on these issues and probably more believable than our PNU rivals before the United Nations and the international community.
"But owing to the apparent confusion, this obviously destroys that perception," regrets Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.
The Prime Minister maintains the overall position of ODM has not changed. He said the 2008 post-election violence suspects must be tried at the ICC, unless the Government agrees to establish a competent local mechanism.
In an interview with Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) on Friday, Raila said ODM feared that the suspects would manipulate a local justice system.
"The trial should proceed there (The Hague), until a competent local mechanism is in place, which I don’t think will be achievable," he told RNW.
On the question of legal representation, though, the party is still pulling in different directions. Namwamba and Nkaiserry insist the party had identified lawyers to defend Ruto, Kosgey, and Sang.
Speaking yesterday at his Muhoroni constituency, Education Assistant Minister Ayiecho Olweny supported this position: "Why contradictions and the fuss while we exhaustively discussed and agreed to help the suspects?" he posed.
He said that in the meeting, it was resolved ODM would accord the three the necessary support.
"Nyong’o is not telling the truth about what happened. We were in the meeting with the Prime Minister and it was agreed we would give them possible support," he said.
Ayiecho explained, though, that the gesture is not meant to please or woo Ruto back to the party, but rather "to stand by them as our people".
Efforts to get comment from Nyong’o were fruitless as his phone went unanswered. He had not replied to our text messages by the time of going to the Press.
But Government Joint Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo clarifies ODM is enlisting services of lawyers to hold brief for the party, considering it might be mentioned adversely at the ICC.
Olive branch
"Anybody saying anything different is misrepresenting the facts. But this does not mean the party is indifferent to the cases touching on its officials," says Midiwo.
But for extending an olive branch to the three, ODM has received the proverbial donkey’s kick. Ruto has declined help, while Sang has said he is neither a party official nor supporter of the party.
On Tuesday ODM announced it would sponsor a Bill to create a local Tribunal, but Raila said this did not mean abandoning the ICC trials.
Laboso yesterday said: "The party’s legal representation offer to the suspects was a good gesture and in order.
Reports by Vitalis Kimutai and Nicholas Anyuor
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment