PM: New parties formed to block my State House race

By FRANCIS NGIGE

Prime Minister Raila Odinga says there is a hidden hand in the formation of numerous political parties to fight his presidential candidature.

Raila said various political parties, which have been recently formed have no any particular agenda apart from stopping him from winning the presidency.

“The same people who were fighting ODM in 2007 are the same people who we will face in the next election. They are behind formation of all these parties that are just aimed at fighting ODM,” said Raila.

The premier also claimed there was a plot by Government officials still held captive by the old constitution, who were trying to impose County Commissioners on Kenyans.

“These people want the County Commissioners to dilute the powers of governors, which is against the spirit of the new constitution,” said Raila.

Speaking in Doldol in Laikipia North district, the PM insisted that the next presidential race will be a two-horse race between reformers and supporters of status quo.

“All these parties you hear about, be it UDF, TNA, Wiper Democratic Movement and the rest are just formed by people we were competing with in the 2007 election,” Raila told a rally at Doldol Stadium.

The PM said the reasons given by some leaders who have decamped from ODM to form other parties were not genuine.

“They just give lame excuses in order to leave the party. Some were asking for the party electoral laws to be amended, and when that was done, they gave other excuses,” said Raila.

The premier, however, said he was not afraid of facing them in the elections, as his record in the Kenyan politics was good.

Blaming the delay of implementation of various development projects to the challenges of the coalition government, Raila said little of the ODM manifesto had been used in the running of the government.

He said despite the popular notion that ODM got an equal share of power in the coalition government, PNU had already taken key ministries by the time the coalition government was formed.

“For the four and half years we have been in the government, we have not been able to implement our change manifesto. What has been picked from or blue print is just a drop in the ocean,” Raila said.

Expressing confidence that ODM will form the next government, the PM said real change in governance would be realised after the general election, set for March 2013.

“In 2007, we were saying let the work begin, while our opponents were saying let the work continue. The next elections will be fought on the same premise and Kenyans will enjoy the fruits of our policies,” Raila noted.