Raila vs Ruto updates

By David Ohito

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has quietly put out word in his party that direct public attacks on Agriculture minister William Ruto should stop forthwith. Ruto similarly said he was keen to see ODM issues resolved amicably.

Raila, who has seemingly toned down his language, including the threat that he would sidestep Rift MPs and engage their constituents directly, also called for truce as he assured ODM members all was well with their party and its problems were not insurmountable.

The PM gave the order as Orange Democratic Movement party prepared for an eagerly awaited meeting called by party whips to try and resolve the differences between the two warring wings, coalescing around Raila and Ruto.

Behind the scenes and away from the cameras, Raila and Ruto separately held closed consultations with select groups of elders from their communities — the Luo and Kalenjin who are perceived to be ODM’s key planks. Reports intimated the pressure is building up between the two leaders that each would be politically weaker without the other.

Last week they each cancelled two separate meetings as part of efforts to heal the party that went into Bomachoge and Shinyalu by-elections as a querulous and deeply divided house but still managed to retain the seat left vacant by the death of its member and grab the other from President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU).

Expressed confidence

Silently pulling the strings away from public glare are a group of ministers, businesspeople and professionals buoyed by the by-election victory and who believe the wrangles are hurting the party and opening up cracks that rival groups could exploit to slow it down before the 2012 General Election.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno at Sony Sugar Factory Complex at the beginning of the PM’s two-day tour of Southern Nyanza region on Sunday. Photo: PMPS

Raila expressed confidence that the party would surmount the challenges it faces, arguing ODM still enjoyed countrywide support and that the party cannot afford wrangles.

"ODM’s support is expanding.What happened in Shinyalu and Bomachoge could have happened in Lamu and Garissa, but we must keep the Orange team ahead of the rivals," said the PM.

Both Raila and Ruto appeared keen to set the tempo for a peaceful and conducive atmosphere tomorrow as ODM address potentially explosive issues such as impending clearance of human settlement from Mau Forest Complex and Mr Gitobu Imanyara’s proposed Bill on non-discriminative trials for those suspected to have fanned post-election violence.

Raila took his strategy meeting to Awendo in Rongo constituency during at which the elders picked his mind on the differences between him and the Rift Valley MPs who have already threatened to dump him and chart a new political course. The meeting progressed for the better part of the day and was attended by several MPs from Luo Nyanza.

Ruto convened a meeting of elders at his Elgon View residence in Eldoret. The elders were led by Major (Rtd) John Seii, the interim chairman of the Kalenjin Council of Elders.

Overcome challenges

The National Executive Committee meeting (Nec) and Parliamentary Group meeting brings together the party’s 101 elected and six nominated MPs together with their allies from Narc, People’s Democratic Party and United Democratic Movement. Tomorrow’s meeting will be at Orange House, Nairobi from 10am.

On Sunday, Raila told a meeting of elders that he was confident the party would overcome its challenges and reach consensus on key issues.

"There is nothing to fear about tomorrow’s meeting of ODM NEC and PG," Raila told the elders.

Sources said Raila sent a quiet message to Luo MPs asking them to stop public attacks on their Rift Valley counterparts.

Political brokers

"The PM has asked us to stop media attacks on our Rift Valley colleagues saying it gives the party a bad image," revealed an MP who was uncomfortable with being quoted.

Ruto on Sunday confirmed he met with a group of eight elders who sought his side of the story on the open differences between himself and Raila, as well as their political constituency.

"We held consultations on various issues with the invited elders. But I am told some lot of old men who are political brokers seeking relevance are claiming they snubbed the meeting…How can you snub a meeting you are not invited to?" asked Ruto.

Seii said a number of Kalenjin elders and members of the community were angry at seeing Ruto and Raila rowing in public. "As elders we are concerned. I have met my counterpart, Mzee Riaga Ogalo who chairs the Luo Council of Elders and we look forward to more meetings which will restore peace and friendship.

"The Kalenjin community cannot afford to point fingers at other Kenyan communities. Where there is a problem we shall seek to resolve it amicably".

Seii said the meeting delved into the row between Raila and Ruto and concluded propaganda was being used to fuel wrangles in ODM.

"I can only deal with a legitimate group of elders who represent community’s concerns not political elders seeking to broker relationship between politicians," said the Agriculture minister.

Fruitful meeting

ODM secretary general Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o and party chairman Mr Henry Kosgey downplayed the wrangles and called them differences of opinion expressed in a democratic manner. Nyong’o confirmed tomorrow’s meeting will address wrangles within ODM.

"The agenda is exclusively for Nec and PG members. But even as you see in the media the tone has changed and issues are fast being resolved," said the Medical Services minister. "We will definitely have a fruitful meeting on Tuesday. Members are enthusiastic and with additional energy from the outcome of the two by-elections," Nyong’o said in a telephone interview.

Ruto and Raila held parallel meetings in Bomachoge and Shinyalu in what observers and party followers read as turf wars between the two leaders.

Targeting leaders

Ruto also held a meeting of 23 MPs from the Kalenjin community at which Raila was the target of attack. Raila held rallies in Chepalungu where he was accompanied by nominated MP Musa Sirma while area MP Isaac Ruto and other regional MPs stayed away.

A section of Rift Valley MPs also see the renewed push for a Special Tribunal to try perpetrators of the post election violence — which Raila has supported — as targeting leaders from the region and have vowed to oppose the move.