Ruto accuses CORD of pushing selfish agenda

By David Ochami and Tobias Chanji

Mombasa, Kenya: Deputy President William Ruto has accused CORD and its leaders of pursuing a selfish agenda in calling for a referendum to change the Constitution.

He claimed CORD’s “new push to overhaul the Constitution” is motivated by alleged refusal to accept the outcome of the March 4 presidential elections and a desire to recreate the political heat of the 2005 referendum in which former President Mwai Kibaki lost against former Premier Raila Odinga who was then his minister.

The deputy president also alleged that CORD has no solution to the land problem in Kenya and accused the Opposition of spreading propaganda about Jubilee’s commitment to devolution.

According to him, Jubilee had pledged to support decentralisation in its election manifesto and accused “the others of plotting an assault on the Constitution only a few months into its real implementation.”

He was addressing the Law Society of Kenya’s (LSK) annual conference at a Diani hotel yesterday.

CORD leaders Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka who attended a separate meeting in the north Coast will address the lawyers’ forum today.

Audited revenue

“We must at once reconcile the decentralisation of power and resources with strengthening of national unity,” Ruto said and added that Jubilee has demonstrated commitment to this ideal by allocating 34 per cent of all audited revenue for the 2012-2013 financial year to counties and creating structures and laws to support devolved governments.

He said, comparatively, the country is giving more money to devolved governments than the government of Nigeria which has a three tier devolved structure.

The deputy president said the federal government gets 48 per cent of the national revenues in Nigeria with national governments sharing 24 per cent while the sub-counties get about 20 per cent.

He said governors have adequate powers to raise avenues and harness talent from local sources to spur development in their areas.

Following a question from former LSK member Lee Muthoga who said the political climate at the moment carries “hidden dangers barely five years” after the 2007-2008 post-election violence, Ruto blasted CORD accusing the Opposition of distorting the message of devolution and inciting a climate of disaffection.

Constitution changes

“There are people who want to use devolution for narrow selfish agenda,” he said referring to CORD’s call for constitutional changes to bolster the Senate and county governments.

Ruto accused CORD leaders of plotting to change the Constitution to convert the country from a presidential to parliamentary system for ulterior aims after supporting the same supreme law at the 2010 referendum.

“There is a nostalgia by the people who voted yes (for the Constitution in 2010) now thinking they can vote no,” he said.

He also argued that CORD would not seek such changes if it had been declared winner of the March 4 polls.

“It is time to call a spade a spade. If you lose an election there is a sanctuary called next time. Bid your time next time,” said Ruto.

“If they had won the election would they be pushing for the referendum?” he posed.