Monday, March 19, 2012

ODM ministers differ with Raila over poll date



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By NATION REPORTER
Posted  Sunday, March 18  2012 at  22:30
Five ODM Cabinet ministers have broken ranks with Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the date of the general election.
Cabinet ministers Amason Kingi, Najib Balala, Paul Otuoma, Franklin Bett and Prof Margaret Kamar instead welcomed the announcement by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission that it will conduct the next elections on March 4, 2013.
The trio’s decision to support the March date sharply contradicted Mr Odinga’s and ODM’s official position that elections should be held in December this year.
Eldoret North MP William Ruto alsoappeared deserted over his opposition to the date as key politicians in his United Republican Party supported the March date.
Medical services assistant minister Kazungu Kambi and MP Cyrus Jirongo welcomed the date and termed it as “the relief that many Kenyans had been waiting for.”
Narc Kenya presidential aspirant Martha Karua challenged Mr Odinga to trigger an early election by pulling out of the Coalition Government in accordance with Article 6 of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.
“If the PM is serious about having elections in December, let him pull out of the government by October,” she said.
Article 6 of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act says the coalition will stand dissolved if one of the coalition partners withdraws from the coalition by a resolution of its highest decision making organ.
But Justice and Constitution Affairs Minister Mutula Kilonzo has insisted that the Parliament can only dissolve itself and not by the dissolution of the coalition.
But East Africa Community minister Musa Sirma, an ally of the PM, cautioned Mr Odinga and ODM against walking out of the government to force elections.

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