Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Raila, Ruto rivalry spills to civil servants union polls


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Share/Save/Bookmark THE rivalry between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Eldoret North MP William Ruto has spilled over to the Union of Kenya Civil Servants elections. The union chairman Zakayo Chepkonga yesterday said assistant minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Alfred Khang’ati recently advised the union’s secretary general to sideline some incumbent officials of the union. “It is unfortunate that the PM’s office is interfering with our elections. He must come out clearly and tell us what interest he has in the civil servants union,” Chepkonga said. He claimed emissaries particularly Khanga’ti are intimidating union officials and aspirants.
Khanga’ti publicly spoke against Chepkonga in a union’s meeting in Malaba on July 15. Others whom he spoke against are three deputy secretary generals namely; Jennifer Mogire, Benson Ambuni and John Banda. Contacted secretary general Tom Odege said Khang’ati as a former secretary general of the union has a right to advice the union.
Chepkonga also denied that he has gone to court to stop the Saturday elections in Kisumu. He said he only went to court to compel Odege to publish the nominated list of delegates for the delegates conference. Chepkonga said: “Odege has been clandestinely been drawing a list of delegates which I have not been allowed to see.”
He added that as chairman he has the right to know the list of delegates that would attend a meeting to be chaired by myself. The civil servants union has a membership of 65, 000 with monthly contribution of Sh24 million. The expected delegates should be around 240, which Chepkonga claimed has now shot up to 300. The court is expected to rule on whether the delegate’s list is to be published or not tomorrow (Wednesday).
Chepkonga could deny that they have the support of Ruto, deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta or VP Kalonzo Musyoka. But Odege accused them of dragging the name of PM Odinga into the upcoming elections. “I know who are their financiers, it is not the three politicians. It is an interested hand out to rock the union,” Odege said adding that the sponsors want to force the union to become its affiliate. Odege said Chepkonga and group have sensed defeat and that is why they are spreading lies about the delegates list.

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