By BOB ODALO bodalo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, March 12 2011 at 22:00
Posted Saturday, March 12 2011 at 22:00
In Summary
- The PM’s foray had been organised by former Kalonzo allies and although he steered clear of politics, those in his party took to the podium to criticise the VP’s shuttle diplomacy
On the surface, Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Friday tour of Ukambani region was meant to assess the impact of the drought and to outline the government’s development plan for the region.
But closer scrutiny of the tour, which was snubbed by all five MPs from Makueni County – Philip Kaloki (Kibwezi), Peter Kiilu (Makueni), Gideon Ndambuki (Kaiti), Mutula Kilonzo (Mbooni) and Harun Mwau (Kilome) – revealed it was part of a political strategy.
Mr Odinga, in his bid to win the presidency in the next general election, has for the past one year been working at building bridges in the region which has a strong ODM-K following.
Last year, during his father’s memorial, he chartered a plane for his Ukambani pointmen, among them former Kenya National Union of Teachers treasurer Peter Mutulu, former ODM-K activist Ngunga wa Ngunga, retired school administrator Simeon Kitheka, to his Bondo home.
Mr Mutulu and Mr Kitheka said the one-on-one meeting they later had with the PM helped them understand him better. “We have been actively working for him in Ukambani since then,” Mr Kitheka said.
Mr Odinga’s Friday tour was organised by a number of Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s former allies.
Although the PM steered clear of politics, his lieutenants in the tour, who included Cabinet minister Fred Gumo, assistant minister Wavinya Ndeti, former MPs Kalembe Ndile and Peter Maundu, set the ball rolling.
Shuttle diplomacy
The VP’s shuttle diplomacy seeking deferral of the ICC trials was questioned as the leaders rallied the crowd in support of The Hague trials for the six post-election violence suspects.
Speaking soon after the PM had addressed the crowd gathered at Wote town, Mr Maundu said the reception he received would pass a message to people who think that they can take the Kamba community hostage.
“Times have changed, and those who think they can easily hoodwink the community into singing unpopular tunes are in for a rude shock,” Mr Maundu said.
Mr Maundu said voters in the region were today much wiser and asked the PM not to be cowed by those advancing politics of hatred.
Mr Jimmy Mumina, who was a key player in Mr Musyoka’s 2007 presidential bid, and Mr Fred Muteti, a one-time aide of the VP, were among the organisers of the PM’s Makueni visit.
Mr Maundu said more meetings have been planned for the PM in the region.
Mr Odinga’s tour of the region, seen as Mr Musyoka’s political bedrock, comes at a time when the VP is embroiled in a public spat with his party secretary-general Mutula Kilonzo.
Mr Kilonzo, who is the Justice minister and MP for Mbooni, has openly differed with Mr Musyoka over his shuttle diplomacy.
Mr Odinga was cut short his tour after his helicopter pilot informed him the chopper did not have enough fuel to fly the PM to his last stop, Kibwezi.
After publicly reprimanding the pilot for always telling him there was not enough fuel, a visibly angry PM boarded the helicopter for Nairobi.
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