Orange party wants office built for Raila

PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | FILE Orange Democratic Movement executive director Magerer Lang’at.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By TIMOTHY KEMEI timothykemei@gmail.com
Posted  Tuesday, July 30   2013 at  23:30

The State should “unconditionally and immediately” provide a fully furnished office block and staff for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) executive director Magerer Lang’at told journalists in Kericho Town on Tuesday that it was unacceptable and unfair for the government to set up an office worth hundreds of millions of shillings for former President Mwai Kibaki and leaving out Mr Odinga.

The two were co-principals in the coalition government that steered the nation for five years following the disputed 2007 election results and the post-election violence.

“He was an executive Prime Minister recognised by the former Constitution and he must be respected and given sufficient security and a number of vehicles befitting his status. Mr Odinga should not be made to beg for his rights,” he said.

The Orange party was reacting two months after the government announced it was buying and furnishing an office for Mr Kibaki.

Parliament’s Budget and Appropriations Committee approved the money to be used in purchasing an office block to house the retired President’s offices and secretariat.

Mr Lang’at rubbished calls by some leaders in the Jubilee Coalition who have demanded that Mr Odinga first retires from politics before he is entitled to any benefits enjoyed by Mr Kibaki, noting that the law did not necessarily set out such a requirement.

Instead, he added, the former PM should be recognised accordingly for the more than three decades of service that he had rendered to the people of Kenya regardless of the less than cordial relationship he shares with the top leaders of this country.

“His political relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto should not be the foundation on which the decision to award him these things is based. He does not have to please them in any way,” said the former Kipkelion MP.