GOOD NEWS: President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House yesterday where he announced that the government had successfully launched the $2 billion Eurobond. Photo/HEZRON NJOROGE
A group of veteran politicians organising themselves as elders, religious leaders, business people and a number of media owners have reached out to both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga. The elders are on a mission to cool down the political temperature nationwide.
Led by former National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo, the elders have met both leaders separately and urged them to tone down their political exchanges.
The two leaders are likely to make a joint public appearance by attending an interdenominational prayer session in Uhuru Park on July 5.
The group has also urged the President to start a structured dialogue with the Opposition and other stakeholders on pressing national issues.
"The President is not opposed to dialogue and Raila is also agreeable to structured dialogue without conditions. We have also asked Raila not to issue ultimatums," one of the businesspeople involved in the delicate behind-the-scenes discussions told the Star.
As part of the compromises being made, Cord yesterday dropped its impeachment motion against Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku. It is unclear what Cord will get in return for dropping the party-sponsored motion, which the mover, Ken Obura, has however vowed to go ahead with on Tuesday next week.
"I have moved the motion and will go ahead with it next week because I'm not aware of any deal that has been made and by whom," said Obura.
Pressure from the Maasai community is also understood to have been brought to bear on the extended Cord leadership. The Maasai threatened to ditch Cord if the coalition went ahead with the impeachment motion.
Sources said that there were also fears of a backlash during a Cord rally in ole Lenku's backyard in Ntulele on Saturday this week.
“The Maasai have always stood with us. Why sacrifice the Minister when the buck stops with the President?” said an ODM lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Speaking at Orange House yesterday, Cord Co-Principal Moses Wetang'ula maintained that the Interior boss is only “a small functionary in a rotten system”.
The Senate Minority Leader insisted that President Uhuru is the chairman of the National Security Council and should take responsibility for security lapses across the country.
“On reflection and wide consultations, we believe that ole Lenku is just but a small functionary in a rotten system and to go for him we will be misapplying our energy and our brains,” Wetang'ula maintained.
The announcement came less than three hours after Obura, the Kisumu Central MP, gave notice of the motion in the National Assembly.
Wetang'ula said that the Coalition has instructed National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze to withdraw the motion.
“We want to deal with a bigger issue, consequently we have instructed our Minority Leader in the National Assembly to take steps and write to the Speaker and withdraw the motion against one ole Lenku,” Wetang'ula announced.
Raila and his Cord troops have been calling for ole Lenku's sacking, as well as well as that of NIS's Michael Gichangi and Inspector General David Kimaiyo, for "incompetence".
But last week, members of the Narok County Assembly allied to Cord warned Raila against the move to censure Lenku, saying they would reconsider their support for the Coalition.
“An onslaught against Lenku is an attack against the Maasai community and Cord should forget about our support if it continues with its impeachment plans,” said Suswa Ward MCA Kipas ole Lengues.
Kajiado MP Joseph Nkaissery (ODM) had also warned against the Lenku censure, insisting that Parliament should unite against insecurity, not an individual.
Flanked by more than 12 lawmakers yesterday, Raila also announced that Cord would proceed with their rally in Eldoret town as planned.
“We have not known of any volatility in Eldoret. It has not been announced anywhere and we have not been told,” Raila said.
“We are announcing here and now that we shall go to Eldoret, whether they like it or not, and the meeting will go on,” Raila declared.
On Tuesday, police cancelled the rally, citing what they termed as “a volatile security situation” in the region.
“The Cord political rally scheduled to take place on the 27th day of June 2014 at 64 stadium, Eldoret, shall not be held due to a volatile security situation on the ground,” a letter signed by senior police officer Patrick Lumumba read in part.
But yesterday, furious Cord leaders said that they will not be victims of propaganda fuelled by the Jubilee Administration.
“We are not going to zone this country, we are not going to allow this country to be balkanised into ethnic cocoons that don't help the growth of our nation,” declared Wetang'ula
Raila said that the Cord rallies are not meant to incite Kenyans and insisted that the police must provide security as required by law.
“The police have the responsibility to protect Kenyans at all gatherings. The Constitution says that they should only be notified so that they can provide security,” he emphasised.
It was not immediately clear what venue the Cord brigade will hold their “national salvation rally” at, after Uashin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago barred the Opposition from using any of the venues in Eldoret.
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