PHOTO | FILE The National Assembly chambers. The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy is working on a July deadline for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka to return to Parliament. NATION MEDIA GROUP
By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, May 5 2013 at 23:30
Posted Sunday, May 5 2013 at 23:30
IN SUMMARY
- Allies state need for strong leadership in crucial watchdog teams dominated by rivals
The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy is working on a July deadline for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka to return to Parliament.
Key players in the strategy told Nation they had identified several MPs willing to resign so that the two leaders can contest the vacant seats in subsequent by-elections.
“We could have finished this matter yesterday, everything is ready. So many of us are ready to resign so that they (Odinga and Kalonzo) come back to Parliament,” said Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama who is spearheading the campaign.
“The problem is the two principals keep telling us to wait; ‘Wait I consult, wait I do this’..... we have waited for too long,” Mr Muthama complained.
A leading figure in the coalition who sought anonymity revealed that the campaign to have Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka return to Parliament had gained urgency because of the Jubilee Coalition’s dominance of key parliamentary watchdog committees: the Budget, Public Accounts and the Public Investments committees.
“We have realised that we need, more than ever, very strong leadership in Parliament which only Raila and Kalonzo can offer given that our rivals have the numbers in the watchdog committees.
“We are working hard to see that they are back in Parliament by July at the latest. We realise that the electoral commission will play a big part in this; they are the ones who set the dates for by-elections and we are not in control of their program,” the source added.
Mr Odinga and Mr Kalonzo’s first tasks in Parliament, the source said, would be to push for a change in the Constitution to make Kenya a parliamentary democracy as opposed to the presidential system of government.
“We plan to push for a return to the parliamentary system of government to end this tyranny of numbers and we can only succeed if we have strong leadership in Parliament,” the source stated.
“We realise that we will eventually have to go to a referendum to change from the presidential to the parliamentary system but we have to start the process in Parliament. That is why we need somebody like Raila to spearhead this campaign,” he went on.
Mr Odinga gave the clearest hint that he was considering a return to Parliament when he spoke to Nationon the sidelines of Times CEO Africa Summit in the UK last week and in an interview with the Timesnewspaper.
“There are very persuasive arguments on both sides. There are those who say that I am needed in Parliament to drive the agenda of the party. There are others who say such a role is beneath my stature and I should leave politics and play a different role. I have not settled on either and Kenyans will hear from me in the next two weeks,” he said.
Those who have publicly stated that they are ready to step down include Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga and Mr Muthama.
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