Monday, July 11, 2011

Ruto plots to ‘save’ civic leaders

By Vitalis Kimutai
Eldoret North MP William Ruto has held a meeting with civic leaders from Rift Valley following plans by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to revoke nomination of 35 councillors.
The meeting came as Belgut MP Charles Keter challenged Prime Minister Raila Odinga and ODM top brass to go for a political duel instead of fighting councillors.
Mr Ruto on Friday hosted the councillors in Eldoret where the issue of the revocation was discussed and options to counter the move crafted.
A source at the meeting said all the councillors agreed to file supporting affidavits in court on Tuesday when the case comes up.
Wareng County Council chairman Paul Kiprop on Sunday said: "We discussed many things in the meeting on the way forward politically on the face of the onslaught against us by ODM, which we supported in the last General Election."
He added, "The major issue during the meeting was the attempt to degazzette nominated councillors as a way of fighting Ruto and his team of leaders who have been branded rebels in the party."
Kiprop said the leaders resolved to fight attempts to kick them out of ODM until they complete their five-year term in office.
PunishEldoret Mayor William Rono and Marakwet County Council chairman William Chesingany were among those who attended the meeting. Both leaders were not available for comment on Sunday.
But a civic leader said the councillors resolved to stay in ODM and fight from within.
Mr Keter termed the move to kick out councillors allied to the Eldoret North MP dictatorial.
"Why can’t the PM and the party top brass come for us (MPs) instead of fighting weak and innocent councillors who are not part of the fight in the party?" Keter said after arriving from Rwanda at the weekend.
He added, "The latest move against the councillors shows clearly how narrow minded the ODM top brass are. They should muster enough courage to fight us (MPs)".
The MP claimed the dictatorship in ODM had taken root and was worse than that of Mobutu Sese Seko and Idi Amin eras in Congo and Uganda.
Keter who was sacked a year ago as Energy Assistant minister for his alleged association with Ruto said it was sad that ODM was seeking to punish people who had worked so hard and sacrificed for the party during the last General Election.
TargetedHe claimed that in Kericho, Bomet and Nakuru counties councillors believed to be close to Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat and himself (Keter), Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu), and Zakayo Cheruiyot had been targeted for degazettement.
"Councillors close to Roads Minister Franklin Bett, Assistant Ministers Langat Magerer and Beatrice Kones, Sotik MP Joyce Laboso have not been affected in the planned degazettement," Keter said.
He added, "These revenge missions must stop, it reflects very badly on the politics of this country especially when it is done by people who have previously publicly stated they are democrats."
The MP said targeting councillors to hit out at rebel legislators was not only insensitive, uncalled for and undemocratic, but was like taking a fight to the children instead of facing their father.
Lawyer Njenga Mbugua who is representing the affected councillors moved to court last week to challenge a letter by Local Government Minister Musalia Mudavadi to Interim Independent Electoral Commission dated June 30 on revocation of their nomination.
High Court Judge Jeanne Gacheche declined to certify the matter as urgent, but directed that the litigants appear before her tomorrow.
ODM deputy Secretary General Joseph Nkaissery has broken ranks with party top brass and opposed the de-gazettement saying proper channels were not followed.
ODM argues that the Law allows political parties to replace nominated councillors at any time without directives from anybody or institution.

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