CORD holds retreat to deliberate on way forward

By Abdikadir Sugow

KENYA: CORD  leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Moses Wetangula head to the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha to pick its Leader of Minority and explore options available.

The retreat will also take stock of the just-concluded General Election and dwell on other major responsibilities of the Opposition.

The forum will deliberate on the way forward for CORD amid fears that the rival Jubilee coalition, who are the majority in Parliament, are allegedly planning to take over all House committees, including the key watchdog of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is traditionally reserved for the Opposition.

CORD leaders, particularly the new MPs, will be advised on the procedures on how to work in the prevailing political dispensation under the new Constitution.

The legislators will be told how to relate to the new Government under Jubilee with their sole responsibility as Opposition to remain the public watchdog of protecting democracy.  

Outgoing ODM Executive Director Janet Ongera said the agenda is to bond and prepare CORD to take up its position in the House.

“We want to provide an effective and strong opposition, which will be issue-based. We want to ensure that the gains made under the Constitution are not watered down,” said Ongera, a nominated Senator.

Today’s meeting will also discuss the issue of the Leader of Minority in the National Assembly and composition of crucial House committees. 

She said the issue of the Leader of Minority in the Senate will not be discussed as the position is not negotiable going by the pre-election pact signed by the CORD principals, therefore, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula is expected to take the mantle.

“The rest of the seats will be up for grabs,” she said.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo is pitted against Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba for the Leader of Minority Seat.

But Namwamba’s entry may be complicated by the fact that Wetangula (Senate Minority Leader-designate) comes from the Western region.

If this is considered, then Namwamba may settle for the Chief Whip of the Minority party.

 Meanwhile, Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama has proposed a constitutional amendment to the 50 plus one percentage rule for one to be declared a President.

He said the voting needs to move away from the ‘one man one vote’ to ‘one county one vote’ system.

He said the plan is rooting for a system where the 338 elected representatives in the Senate and National Assembly will determine the presidential election outcome.

 “We want to make sure every county plays a role in the election of the President, similar to the US collegiate system in which every state participates in the process,” he told The Standard on Sunday.

Mr Muthama said he would make his proposal during the CORD retreat in Naivasha on Sunday, saying the so-called “tyranny of numbers” theory propagated by political commentator Mutahi Ngunyi cost Raila victory during the recent presidential election.

Muthama seeks the amendment through Article 138 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, which says that it only requires the signing of a petition with one million signatures for a referendum to be held for the necessary changes to be effected.