MPs oppose plans to amend law in bid to check the presidency

FROM LEFT: Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and CORD leader Raila Odinga at a recent rally in Taita Taveta County. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

By STEPHEN MAKABILA     

Multiple challenges facing ODM are impacting negatively on CORD’s ability to provide focused checks and balances against the ruling Jubilee coalition government.

Jubilee controls majority numbers in the National Assembly and the Senate, with its numbers in Parliament standing at 216 MPs, only 16 MPs short of hitting an absolute majority of 232 legislators that could enable it carry out any constitutional amendment in the House.

Despite its numerical weakness in both Houses, there are feelings in political circles CORD coalition has opened multi-pronged wars it may not sustain, amid growing internal re-organisational challenges. In a span of one month, the coalition has talked of taming the presidency through change of law to parliamentary system of governance which has since been shelved and push for referendum to strengthen counties.  

And its emerging the Jubilee government has taken advantage of internal upheaval facing former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM party, to infiltrate his Western and Coast strongholds.

The two regions, lower Eastern, plus Raila’s Nyanza home-turf predominantly voted for CORD in the March 4 General Election.

Among key internal challenges ailing ODM are differences over the proposed referendum which has seen some MPs openly defy the party leader, as well as push for change in the Orange party internal organs from a section of youthful party MPs seeking to replace old guards.

MPs George Oner (Rangwe), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) and Ken Obura (Kisumu Central) are among those pressing for a change of guard in the party rank and file saying the youthful generation would inject fresh blood into the party echelons.

Overhaul party

Move to overhaul party leadership has however been greeted by strong opposition from older politicians and MPs in the party.

Currently, there are vacancies in the party’s national leadership structure, with some still holding positions but have kept off key activities.

“ODM as a party is yet to put its house in order. The party has no deputy party leaders, vice-chairmen and some key national officials who have either defected or kept off party affairs,” a senior party official told The Standard on Sunday. During a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on August 20, at the party’s Orange House offices in Nairobi, party chairman, former Cabinet minister Henry Kosgey who has kept a low profile since the last General Election, did not attend.

A former Secretary to the ODM election board, Dr Joseph Misoi who attended the NEC, said Kosgey has kept off public limelight and party activities for some time. Former deputy party leaders Deputy President William Ruto and former Deputy Prime Minister  Musalia Mudavadi who quit the party are yet to be replaced.

Former vice chairmen Alfred Sambu (Webuye East MP) and Ramadhan Kajembe from the Coast, also no longer engage with the party. Mr Sambu defected to UDF ahead of the last election while Kajembe has remained silent after losing Mombasa County Senate seat. Vacant positions aside, there is also the challenge of CORD, which brings together ODM, Wiper Democratic Movement and Ford-Kenya, to defend seats in expected by-elections in Nyanza and Eastern provinces, which are also the coalition’s strongholds.

Last weekend, Raila and the Deputy President were in Western in separate meetings, in what has been perceived as search for political support. Ruto presided over the home-coming fete of Malava MP Moses Malulu and Navakhalo MP Emmanuel Wangwe while Raila was in Butere constituency for another home-coming fete of local MP Andrew Toboso of ODM.

Wangwe, Malulu and Bumula MP Bonface Otsyula have defended the move by youthful MPs in Western to work with the Jubilee government, claiming it was purely on developmental basis.

“Navakholo is benefitting from the government. The expected tarmacking of the 28 km Kakamega-Navakholo-Bungoma road and the rural electrification project kicking off in the constituency are just but some of the benefits that are coming out of this co-operation,” says Wangwe.

Wangwe and Malulu have strongly dismissed claims of “stomach politics” advanced by some CORD leadership and vowed to continue working with Jubilee.

Other leaders in the region working with Jubilee include Lugari MP and Parliamentary Agriculture Committee chairman Ayub Savula, Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu, Mumias MP Ben Washiali, Matungu MP David Were and Mt Elgon MP John Serut.

Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya (ODM), also caused a stir two weeks ago when he threatened to leave the party, only to backtrack and claim he was quoted out of context.

Raila was to head to Kakamega for a meeting with Oparanya, in what was seen as cooling down tensions.

Political support

ODM national Youth League chairman Rashid Mohomed  and another youth official Mr Ben Ombima, all from  Western, claim the ODM leadership had taken the region for granted.

“We had expected Ken Butiko from Vihiga County to become the ODM Executive Director after Senator Janet Ongera’s exit, but the position went elsewhere,” said Ombima.

The Standard on Sunday has established leaders in Western now want Butiko to become ODM national chairman or the party risks losing the region’s support.

Its however not clear whether the party will hold its much awaited National Governing Council (NGC) meeting this month to fill vacant seats. The NGC has in the past been postponed severally.

In Coast region, recent meeting between Ruto and Coast leaders led by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar Hassan and a Cabinet decision to issue 60,000 title deeds are viewed as part of Jubilee’s strategies to win the region’s political support.

Ruto was clear in his message to the Coastals, “ We know why you did not vote for us in the last General Election and we are not fools.”