CORD snubs private sector elections meeting over 'impartiality'

The Opposition yesterday boycotted a meeting for political parties with businesspeople, claiming the investors were pushing government agenda. CORD refused to send representatives to the meeting organised by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) to discuss next year’s General Election.

The Mombasa summit brought together politicians and other stakeholders to discuss ways of conducting peaceful elections next year. But CORD told off “impartial” KEPSA, accusing its officials of working with Jubilee and State House mandarins.

“We do not view your organisation as having the requisite impartiality to lead a national non-partisan discourse on the topics under discussion. We view KEPSA as an appendage of the Jubilee administration,” reads a statement sent to newsrooms by CORD.

The coalition said KEPSA has never been keen to initiate a discussionwith the Opposition and concerns it has raised regarding peaceful elections, cohesion and national unity.

“KEPSA has never shown interest in our public engagements beyond cosmetic appearance at best and you have not treated the Opposition as a legitimate entity with meaningful contribution to our national development,” the statement reads.

But KEPSA dismissed the allegations, saying it has always reached out to CORD on matters of national interest, even as other leaders insisted that Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his team should have appeared to voice their concerns at the summit.

Polycarp Igathe, the co-chairman of KEPSA’s driven Mkenya Daima Initiative, said they have always engaged Raila and his team. He promised that they will reach out to the Opposition for a dialogue.

“Raila was the founder of private sector round-table with the Government when he was Prime Minister and we cannot forget his contribution in this initiative. But we want to say we have heard their complaint and we will soon be reaching out for a round-table with the Opposition,” Igathe said.

Migori Senator Wilfred Machage, one of the few CORD allied leaders who attended the summit, read out the protest note from the Opposition chiefs, urging the private sector players to consider what other leaders think of their organisation.

But Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro and Karachuonyo MP James Rege, who is an ODM rebel, said the Opposition should have made efforts to reach out and air their grievances at the forum.

“We cannot afford not to speak to one another no matter what our perceptions are. They should have come and aired their concerns here. That is what leadership calls for,” Karua said.

Ethuro said the Opposition should support the initiative by KEPSA towards peaceful elections.

“We have failed as political leaders to bring ourselves together and honestly talk about peaceful elections. It is wrong to now condemn the private sector when they bring us together,” said Ethuro.

Raila, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula were listed as among leaders to address the forum, sharing the platform with Karua and Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi.

CORD also accused KEPSA of only initiating discussions when disagreements between the government and Opposition affect the members’ interests.

“Instead, you have been particularly available to engage the government on these same issues and support its programmes to the exclusion of the Opposition,” CORD said.

The Opposition questioned why the alliance is a usual visitor to State House and every other function held by the national government and why it has never questioned corruption in the country.

“A good example of your impartiality is the way you have dealt with the issue of corruption in Kenya. While the Opposition continues to put pressure on the national government to exhibit the political will to deal with corruption in public offices, KEPSA went into a partnership with the President to divert attention away from the government by blaming members of the public as co-conspirators in the corruption among public officers,” the statement reads.