Raila scoffs at Miguna call, to soldier on

By Evelyn Kwamboka

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has launched a fresh attack on Miguna Miguna one day after the former political aide’s return to the country. Raila sought to attack Miguna’s credibility even as the lawyer threatened to join forces with others who were interested in removing Raila from power.

Addressing supporters in Kisumu town’s Kondele area, the ODM leader repeated a parable about a madman who stole another man’s clothes that he has used in the past to describe his former advisor on coalition affairs.

The remarks came a day after Miguna promised to keep up pressure on the Prime Minister, who he accuses of various legal and political misdeeds. Addressing journalists at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday evening, Miguna called on voters to retire unnamed “political dinosaurs” and “merchants of impunity” who are still trying to cling to power.

The combative lawyer pledged to work with others to this end, and welcomed any legal and political battles with Raila and his allies.

In apparent response, Raila had his audience in Kondele in stitches, as he talked about a man bathing in a river who noticed a madman come along and steal his clothes. His response was to jump out and chase after the lunatic.

“Who, among the two, appeared to be mad?” Raila asked. Echoing a line of argument taken by longtime ally Sarah Elderkin, the PM added. “A madman has taken my clothes but I will not run after him. I will buy new ones.”

Two weeks ago, at a rally in Kibera, Raila made the same reference to “a madman”, urging voters to ignore his allegations. The PM has previously said he does not intend to address any of Miguna’s claims.

In his recent book, Peeling Back The Mask, Miguna alleges instances of abuse of office, corruption, political trickery, and public deception orchestrated or covered up in Raila’s office.

Integrity debate

He accuses several ODM Cabinet members and key Raila aides of having gone to bed with “merchants of corruption”. He claims to have raised these issues with the PM to no avail. This, Miguna says, is proof of poor leadership and “deception, duplicity, and hypocrisy” in the Raila camp.

The new war of words with Miguna comes as Raila was drawn into the wider leadership and integrity debate around presidential hopefuls. Only this week, Raila, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi were enjoined in a suit seeking to bar allegedly unsuitable leaders from contesting the presidency.

The PM was accused of nepotism, defrauding the public, involvement in 2008 post-election violence, and the 1982 attempted coup, and lying about his academic record.

Kalonzo and Musalia were variously cited for alleged abuse of office, perjury, land-grabbing and grand corruption. The initial targets of the suit were Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, and Eldoret North MP William Ruto. The two are among four Kenyans facing charges for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.

Observers will be watching to see if leadership and integrity issues feature in this weekend’s political rallies.

Raila will today tour Kajiado County to drum up support for Engineer Ole Mositet, the ODM candidate for the Kajiado North parliamentary seat in the September 17 by-election.

Kalonzo was in his Mwingi North constituency where he announced that the Usueni/Wikithuki Irrigation Project would be expanded ten-fold in terms of acreage and financing.  Kalonzo and fellow presidential aspirant William Ruto will today take their campaigns to Kericho County where they will grace the inauguration of Peter Mutai as the new chairman of the Myoot Kalenjin Council of Elders.

And from Kakamega County, Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi reiterated he would settle for nothing less than the presidency. Mudavadi maintained that he would not shelve his State House bid and urged his supporters to back him.

Pre-election deal

Without mentioning names, he urged residents of Western to accept another position in the coming polls. Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa is being touted as a possible running mate for The National Alliance presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta. Mudavadi’s remarks also appear to clarify his position concerning talks he held with Ruto over a possible pre-election deal.

Today (Saturday), Mudavadi will make an extensive meet-the-people tour of Mt Elgon area of Bungoma County.

On his part Wamalwa, will be on a tour of Central Province this weekend in what is seen as a confirmation of his warming up to Uhuru. Eugene will address a rally in Thika today then head to Nyeri for a series of rallies in five of the county’s six constituencies.

He will kick off his Nyeri tour with a church service at a Catholic Church in Othaya before heading to Karuna-ini in Tetu for a tree planting at the historical site where Mau Mau leader Dedan Kimathi was captured at the edge of Aberdare Forest.

Presidential hopeful Peter Kenneth has said the next General Election would be issue based and the voters should interrogate leaders on their development track record. He said that Kenyans should pick a leader who is not tainted by corruption and issues of negative ethnicity to succeed President Kibaki.

“This country requires a leader with the ability and will power not only to unite the people but roll out sound development agenda and rid the society of socio-economic problems it is currently faced with,” Kenneth said.