Jirongo faults G7 prayer meetings

Written By:Diana Okemwa/KNA,    Posted: Sun, Feb 19, 2012

Jirongo has accused its leadership of using prayer meetings and the ICC issue to gain political mileage Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi on Saturday evening met at the premiers Bondo home for the first time after a campaign trail on who will be the party flag bearer in the coming election. The two are said to have held lengthy discussions on the ongoing developments on the political scene, a reflection that they are still united despite their differing ideologies on how the party will conduct its presidential nominations.   Raila supports a national delegates system in picking the party's leader while Mudavadi insists on county delegates system.  Meanwhile, Youth affairs minister Paul Otuoma has dispelled fears that the ODM party could be headed for a split following perceived rivalry between the two leaders. Otuoma instead termed as democratic efforts by the two to traverse parts of the country in a bid to capture the party's ticket on which they intend to vie for the presidency. Elsewhere, in what appears an indication that wrangles within G7 political alliance are far from over, Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has accused its leadership of using prayer meetings and the ICC issue to gain political mileage instead of articulating issues that will bring change to the country. Elsewhere, two Members of Parliament and former Speaker of National Assembly Sunday reaffirmed that the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka is still a member of the G7 group. Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi, Saboti MP, Eugene Wamalwa and Francis ole Kaparo speaking during the annual Scouts Founders Day celebration in Nyeri said the group members should remain united is they hope to form the next government. Murugi dismissed claims that Kalonzo had been kicked out of G7 as a media propaganda and claimed that such a decision had never been mooted by any of the other contenders. Wamalwa said sidelining the vice president from the G7 would mean giving away votes from the Eastern region terming the move as self destruction. The MP said he would oppose any attempt to exclude any member from the group adding the main purpose is to unite all Kenyans and expressed his confidence that the group will form the next government if they remained united. Wamalwa suggested that an agreed formula should be used to conduct nomination for the G7's presidential candidate adding that he is still a presidential candidate in the next elections. The former house speaker said the members of the G7 must respect each other and embrace tolerance for one another if they want to win in the forthcoming elections. He warned if the nominations for the presidency are not conducted in a fair manner among the members, the group risks dividing. Meanwhile Wamalwa has urged the government to ensure youths in the country are enlightened and  well nurtured to save them from the negative effects of joblessness like drug abuse.