ODM blames clique for its failure in Naivasha

By Dedan Okanga

ODM top leadership has shifted blame for devolution controversies on a section of its own membership within the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Constitution Review whom they say betrayed the party position.

Party Chairman Henry Kosgey, Deputy Party leader Musalia Mudavadi and Higher Education Minister Sally Kosgey said betrayal and intrigue bungled their clamour for regional governments.

Loss of the chairmanship position to the Party of National Unity (PNU), according to them, reduced their strength in the PSC devolution debates in Naivasha.

They also alleged calculated sabotage and deal making by some of their members for the shortcomings that cost them on most matters.

"We in ODM were fighting for a three-tier government and the Draft Constitution had eight regional governments, but when it went to Naivasha the regions were deleted," said the party chairman.

Mr Kosgey alleged that some PSC members in the ODM team deliberately supported proposals from the PNU side.

"We saw people celebrate saying they had struck a deal, but there were no regions in that deal, and I think you all know the people I am alluding to," he said.

He further said the same clique is now opposed to the Proposed Constitution.

"The same people who were bought like mandazi (buns) in Naivasha to betray the party are the same ones now opposing the draft," he said.

He was addressing a rally at Kesses in Eldoret South, where Prime Minister Raila Odinga led 10 Cabinet ministers and 14 MPs to drum up support for the draft.

Higher Education Minister Dr Sally Kosgey said a contest for the PSC chairmanship between Agriculture Minister William Ruto and Deputy Party leader Musalia Mudavadi weakened the party’s influence.

"The Prime Minister had suggested that Mudavadi becomes the chairman, but somebody else was interested in the seat and we ended up divided," she said.

But Mudavadi said he ceded his position for the Agriculture Minister who assured him that he would easily attract PNU following.

"I decided to quit the race in support for Ruto as he assured me he would get some support from the PNU side, but that never happened," he said.

Secret deals

Mudavadi also alleged that two MPs in the ODM group voted with PNU and that some got involved in deal making outside the negotiating room.

He added: "Some people were entering into secret deals with our colleagues on the PNU side without knowledge of the rest of the ODM flock."

But Dr Kosgey distanced herself from the alleged deal making, only blaming internal power games for their lost opportunities in Naivasha.

"I have heard that people received financial inducements to support certain positions but I am happy nobody dared approach me," she said.