Eldoret North MP William Ruto said the withdrawal of ODM members from the Justice and Legal Affairs committee was a ploy by ODM to derail the implementation of the Constitution. Photo/FILE
By NATION CORRESPONDENT
Posted Monday, May 9 2011 at 19:21
Posted Monday, May 9 2011 at 19:21
Eldoret North MP William Ruto has blamed Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the stalemate in the Justice and Legal Affairs committee.
He claimed ODM was politicising the implementation of the new Constitution, terming the move “a scheme to blackmail Kenyans ahead of the 2012 General Election”.
“Party politics should be kept off the implementation of the new Constitution. Mr Odinga and his team should not capitalise on the process to advance their 2012 election ambitions,” Mr Ruto said.
He said the withdrawal of ODM members from the Justice and Legal Affairs committee was a ploy by ODM to derail the implementation of the Constitution. (READ: MPs eject Namwamba as ODM quits)
The Eldoret North MP further termed as dictatorial plans by ODM to expel some of its rebel MPs from the party.
“Kenya is a democratic state and gone are the times when parties could knock out its members over diverse political ideologies,” the suspended Higher Education Minister said when he led other ODM rebel MPs in a funds-drive at Ziwa trading centre in his Eldoret North constituency.
Expel rebel MPs
ODM has written to the Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u to notify the Speaker of its plans to expel Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto and his Dujis counterpart Aden Duale from the party.
“Expelling members from the party is beyond democratic politics. In any case, some of us have quit ODM for UDM where I am the party leader,” added Mr Ruto.
He reiterated his intention to battle it out with the PM for the presidency next year.
Mr Ruto disclosed plans to negotiate with other leaders in a new political coalition to have him as the presidential flag bearer in the elections.
“We have formed an alliance with leaders from Western, Eastern, North Eastern and Coast, among other regions, and I am confident that I will battle it out with Mr Odinga for the presidency,” the Eldoret North MP said.
Former Energy assistant minister Charles Keter branded ODM as a tribal outfit for allegedly scheming to kick out members from certain communities from the party.
“It is tribal and dictatorial for ODM to demand the expulsion of its members because of their political differences with the PM,” Mr Keter said.
He challenged Mr Ruto not to backtrack on his presidential ambition, claiming he enjoyed support of the Rift Valley block and other Kenyans.
The MP for Emgwen, Mr Elijah Lagat, appealed for unity among Kalenjins and asked them to rally behind Mr Ruto’s presidential ambition.
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