Mudavadi spells conditions to BBI team for re-introducing Prime Minister post

File photo of ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi addressing the press at Convent international hotel in Nairobi. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi has supported the Building Bridges Initiative’s (BBI) proposal of a Premier position, but with a defined role.

“The responsibilities of a Prime Minister must be clearly defined and safeguarded. If need be, the Prime Minister can have a deputy or two deputies,” he said.

Mudavadi emphasised that the roles of a PM must be defined to avoid a tug-of-war similar to the one witnessed during the coalition government dubbed “Nusu Mkate”.

While serving as a deputy Prime Minister between 2007 and 2013, Mudavadi disclosed there was a supremacy battle in the Raila Odinga-led office between ministers from ODM and PNU.

Mudavadi revealed that ministers from PNU would deliberately skip meetings chaired by Raila, leading to a lack of quorum that saw critical issues not addressed.

“We reached a point where the PM was supposed to chair some Cabinet committee. Ministers from the PNU faction would sometimes feign commitments elsewhere. If the minister responsible was not there clearly you could not discuss other issues."

The ANC chief added that the war spilled over to the PM Deputies’ offices where ministers aligned to ODM would skip meetings called by then deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta in retaliation.

“If he (Raila) was not around and Uhuru chaired the meeting, the ODM ministers would disappear at times, and when I chaired, the PNU ministers disappeared,” he said.

Mudavadi linked the challenges to a lack of clear definition of roles. He wants the BBI report to have clear guidelines for the top office’s limitations and functions.

Apart from the PM post, Mudavadi said his party is behind the establishment of the office of Opposition leader with a shadow Cabinet corresponding to the official Cabinet.

On the head of the executive, he suggested a President who is elected by all Kenyans as opposed to a parliamentary system.

“The structure of the executive arm of government must uphold and respect the principle of one person, one vote,” he said.

Mudavadi also opposed the creation of conflicting centres of power, saying the functions of a President should not be in conflict with other positions.

“The authority must not be shared or opened to multiple interpretations."