VP, Raila play it safe at Tseikuru function

By PAUL MUTUA

Political rivals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka came together in Kitui County Friday in what appeared to be an attempt to change the tone of competitive politics.

Coming in the wake of the controversial G7 Alliance prayer rallies and on the same day as the Gema meeting that rallied ethnic support behind rival contender, Uhuru Kenyatta, their joint meeting sought to frame the upcoming contest in friendlier, less divisive terms.

PM Raila Odinga with VP Kalonzo Musyoka (left) at Kaningo in Tseikuru, Kitui, Friday during the memorial service of former Kitui North (now Mwingi North) MP Philip Mutisya Manandu. [PHOTO: PAUL MUTUA]

The Vice-President and Prime Minister, who are in different parties, insisted they would both be on the presidential ballot next year.

"Let it be clear Raila is my competitor," ODM-Kenya’s Kalonzo said, dismissing speculation he is warming up to the idea of an alliance. "I am praying that I will beat him at the polls. I am sure he is also praying to beat me."

ODM leader Raila urged locals to vote for him come the March 4, 2013 presidential race as he was the strongest contender in the running.

The two were speaking at Kaningo village, in Kitui County’s Tseikuru district during the first ever memorial celebrations for former Kitui North constituency MP, Philip Mutisya Manandu, who was shot dead by an administration policeman 27 years ago. Kitui North has since been renamed Mwingi North and is represented in Parliament by Kalonzo.

ODM contest

Raila has come under attack from within his ODM party where leadership challenger and deputy Musalia Mudavadi has accused him of entrenching the "politics of polarisation".

Mudavadi has also reportedly refused to attend joint rallies with the PM. Kalonzo Musyoka, on the other hand, has had a hard time at G7 rallies from other presidential hopefuls and their hostile supporters.

Friday’s meeting played to these issues while raising the tantalizing idea of a new alliance at a time when ODM’s strongest player in the region, Water Minister Charity Ngilu, has been playing her cards close to her chest. Ngilu has had warm things to say about Mudavadi and other presidential hopefuls, most recently Prof George Saitoti, while remaining silent about Raila.

Kalonzo said he wanted to make it clear he was his own man and that he and PM were strong presidential aspirants.

"People should stop claiming that I am warming to join Raila’s team. I want to make it clear that I will work with all leaders committed to peace and unity," the VP said. He called on Kenyans to embrace leaders who are serious in the fight against negative ethnicity. He urged leaders to avoid divisive politics.

"Kenyans should know that Kalonzo is never compromised over anything. I am committed to bringing all the Kenyan communities together,’’ he said. Kalonzo and Raila called for fresh investigations into the killing of the late MP.

"The circumstances surrounding the death of the late Manandu should be investigated afresh and an inquest file opened to get the truth over his death," the VP said. Raila added he had done what little he could to ensure justice was delivered to the late MP’s family saying they were paid Sh1 million through his efforts. He added that he would write to the Attorney General asking him to open the inquest files afresh.

Philip Manandu and four other people were shot dead on the evening of January 17, 1985, outside his Binisa bar at Tseikuru trading centre in Kitui County. The shooting left the entire region in shock. An Administration policeman identified as the killer later took his own life with the same gun.

The MP is said to have threatened to have the officer sacked over the release of a suspect who had allegedly stolen a plough from him. The angry policeman ran to the Tseikuru chief’s camp, picked a rifle and returned to the MP’s bar where he shot him and four patrons. The AP later committed suicide when a group of fellow officers tried to arrest him.

Despite the circumstances of the killing, Manandu’s family is still curious why it was not investigated more thoroughly.

Earlier, Kalonzo launched a sanitary towel programme at a primary school named for the late Manandu. The VP said it is time to engage in mature politics, not the politics of hatred. Kalonzo and Raila said the Government has set aside Sh300 million to provide sanitary towels to girls in all schools in the country.

"Government is committed to equal education opportunities for all children irrespective of gender,’’ said the Vice President.

He donated Sh100,000 for the development of Philip Mutisya primary school. Raila directed the Ministry of Education to ensure the money allocated by the Government for the provision of sanitary towels was used by the end of next month.

He thanked the governments of Norway, Denmark and Unicef for their support in implementing the social pillar of Vision 2030.

Others who addressed the occasion included assistant minister for Education Ayiecho Olweny, Norwegian Ambassador to Kenya Ludving Magus, Unicef representative, Kenya, Marcel Rudasingwa, PM’s wife Ida Odinga, CIC chairman Charles Nyachae and Machakos town MP Victor Munyaka among others.