Raila backs push to kick out ODM rebels

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has backed his party’s bid to oust rebel MPs from their parliamentary seats February 28, 2011. HEZRON NJOROGE 

By DAVE OPIYO, dopiyo@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Tuesday, March 1 2011 at 11:53

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has backed his party’s bid to oust rebel MPs even as he scoffed at threats to sponsor a no confidence motion against him.

Mr Odinga, in an interview with broadcaster NTV said in any multi party democracy such as Kenya’s, MPs must always learn to represent their party positions either in committee meetings or in the House.

And he gave an example of neighbouring Uganda, where at least 70 MPs who decided to switch parties from the one that sponsored them to parliament, were ordered by the constitutional court to vacate their seats.

“Members must always vote according to the wishes of the party. You cannot be a member of a party yet you are voting against the wishes of your party. It does not happen in the House of Commons or even congress,” he said.

“Either we are running a multi party parliament or the old party days of mama and baba,” he added in reference to the single party regime.

The PM said he was not shaken by the latest attempt to oust him from office, and would only be worried if the move came from ‘the people’ and not MPs.

“Motions of no confidence have been moved against Presidents, Prime Ministers and others. Some succeed and others don’t.”

“I would only be worried if it came from the people not MPs. I respect MPs but some of them are not speaking on behalf of the people. I am least worried about this vote of no confidence,” he added.

His sentiments came just a day after the party’s chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo revealed that he had written to the Registrar of Political Parties, Ms Lucy Ndung’u, asking her to find assistant minister Aden Duale and Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto in breach of Article 17 of the Act and declare their seats vacant.

The relevant clause reads: “A person who, while a member of a political party - in any way or manner, publicly advocates for the formation of another political party, shall, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) or the provisions of any other law, be deemed to have resigned from the previous political party.”

Ms Ndung’u confirmed she had received the letter and has promised to act on it.

“It is time to crack the whip. We want Raila to fire all the rebel ministers. We want to know who is with us. If you are not with us, you are against us. All the rebel MPs must go, and yesterday, not today,” a tough talking Midiwo said.

In the interview, he said despite disagreements within ODM, the party still remains formidable especially at the grassroots.

“Leaders can always disagree. This happens to political parties throughout the world. Sometimes we call it mid term crisis. This does not however mean that the party is finished,” he said.

The PM also spoke on a wide range of topics including his relations with President Kibaki, three years after they signed the National Accord that paved way for the coalition government.

“We relate very well on a one to one basis. When we sit down to discuss we reflect both of us know where we are coming from,” he said.

Mr Odinga explained that moments before signing the Accord, he had a ‘heart to heart’ talk with President Kibaki.

"We gave an undertaking to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, his predecessor Benjamin Mkapa and Chief Mediator Kofi Annan that we shall work together to ensure that the country is pulled together from the chaos that we were experiencing at the time,” he said.

“The Accord said that we shall move together and work together in the spirit of compromise and co-operation to deliver a new Kenya. That is what we want for Kenya,” he said.

He said despite the progress the coalition government had made in bringing about far reaching reforms, it was unfair for Kenyans to judge them harshly by failing to accept that progress had been made.

Mr Odinga said disagreements between him and President Kibaki were healthy and natural. 

“You can’t be in agreement at all the time,” he said.

“I consulted Kibaki before I suspended my ministers but there was a change of mind in that particular regard.....just like President Kibaki believed that he consulted me in the nominations,” he said.