Raila: PNU tampered with ODM plans

By David Ochami and Tobias Chanji

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has blamed the Coalition Government partner, PNU, for diluting the ODM party policies.

Odinga said that some of his party’s 2007 pre-election promises could not be achieved due to political interference from the PNU wing.

“Our policies were putrefied by our partners. The difference in our policies was as stark as day and night,” he said.

The Prime Minister was addressing his supporters in Kaloleni, Coast Province, where ODM won a civic seat in the last by-election. He also toured Kinango, Ukunda and Lunga Lunga in Kilifi and Kwale counties.

He also received Lands assistant minister Gonzi Rai who ditched Ford-People for ODM.

Odinga urged Kenyans to vote him in as the next president since it was through ODM that the new Constitution would be implemented.

“There are those who have no inclination to implement the new Constitution. They are against devolution,” he said.

The PM was accompanied by local politicians Zainab Chidzuga and Hassan Mwanyoha who urged the Orange party to ensure it carried transparent nominations.

They asked the party not to give direct nomination to selected party members at the ODM primaries.

In Kaloleni, Odinga paraded ODM-elect councillor Daniel Gonja Chibule who won the Kaliang’ombe civic seat.

The Prime Minister said Coast Province was gripped in poverty, poor roads, lack of electricity and inadequate hospitals facilities, and promised his government would address the issues.

“The solution to this problem is not to commit suicide or secede,” he said, referring to the secessionist calls from the Mombasa Republican Council.

Odinga added that ODM could have solved most developmental challenges facing the province had it been declared winner in the disputed 2007 polls.

The premier said he had drawn up plans to improve roads across the country, including paving the road network linking Samburu to Kwale, through Kinango when he was the Roads minister.