Sunday, March 20, 2011

Raila tours Ruto’s stronghold

PMPS | NATION Prime Minister Raila Odinga with Bishop Maurice Crowley of Dioceses of Kitale and Bishop Cornelius Korir of Dioceses of Eldoret during St .Patrick High School, Iten. He urged leaders to focus on development.
PMPS | NATION Prime Minister Raila Odinga with Bishop Maurice Crowley of Dioceses of Kitale and Bishop Cornelius Korir of Dioceses of Eldoret during St .Patrick High School, Iten. He urged leaders to focus on development. 
By JONATHAN KOMEN jkomen@ke.nationmedia.com AND WYCLIFFE KIPSANG wkipsang@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, March 19 2011 at 22:00
In Summary
  • PM steered clear of dirty politics and instead urged residents to look forward to the fruits of decentralisation

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Saturday led a group of MPs to his political rival William Ruto’s Rift Valley stronghold where he urged residents to embrace and fully take advantage of the devolved system of government.
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Mr Odinga, who was the chief guest at celebrations marking St Patrick’s High School-Iten’s 50th anniversary, however avoided getting embroiled in a political war of words.
Divisive politics
He instead warned leaders against engaging in divisive politics and instead work towards uniting all Kenyans irrespective of ethnic or political affiliations.
He further urged Kenyans to embrace the decentralised system of governance envisioned in the new Constitution, saying it would help bring about much-needed development.
“It is unfortunate that leaders fail to understand how a devolved system of government works. But you will enjoy this after the 2012 General Election as it is rolled out,” said Mr Odinga.
The PM arrived at St Patrick’s High School in Keiyo District accompanied by Regional Development minister Fred Gumo, Education assistant minister Ayieko Olweny and nominated MP Musa Sirma.
Mr Gumo accused ODM leaders named by the International Criminal Court as post-election violence suspects of turning away from the party that could prove their innocence.
“They are walking away from us and we are their witnesses. I am ready to travel to The Hague to testify against their alleged role in the post-election violence. We were together with them,” said Mr Gumo.
Blindly ditch
On his part, Mr Sirma asked the Kalenjin community not to blindly ditch Mr Odinga, as they might later regret the decision.
“Let us not jump from the frying pan into the fire,” he said, in reference to mooted plans for the community to leave ODM for UDM.
Mr Olweny praised St Patrick’s academic and sporting record, saying similar centres of excellence would be set up across Kenya.
Mr Odinga later left for Baringo North district where he addressed mourners in Ayebo village during the burial of Josephine Chesaina, the wife of Rift Valley Water Services Board chairman David Chesaina.

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