You must unite or lose Parliament, Raila Odinga tells Azimio camp

Azimio leader Raila Odinga with Martha Karua and Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka during a retreat at Stoni Athi Resort, Machakos County. [Emmanuel Wanson, Standard]

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga Friday, September 16, told the coalition's MPs to stick together or perish under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance rule.

Speaking during a retreat at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos County, Raila said elected leaders should unite under Azimio, which has a majority in the National Assembly. He said they are also in government since Parliament is one of the three arms that form the governance structure, the others being the Executive and the Judiciary.

The coalition's MPs are strategising on who will be named Majority Leader of the two houses and how they will share leadership positions in the 13th Parliament and prepare for business.

Members are also lobbying for seats in the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). The 10-member commission chaired by the National Assembly Speaker is a mix of membership from the National Assembly and Senate and has nine slots up for grabs.

Article 127 which establishes the PSC, stipulates that of the 10 positions, two must go to members who are not elected or nominated as members of the National Assembly or the Senate.

Legally, Azimio has a majority of 167 MPs against Kenya Kwanza's 160 lawmakers, exclusive of independent MPs in the National Assembly.

In the Senate, Kenya Kwanza has 33 senators and Azimio 33, with one independent senator. This was after Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula resigned to become the National Assembly speaker. A by-election to fill the vacancy is yet to be scheduled.

But Raila insists they are the majority and should ensure they fulfill their roles as the majority which included putting the government in check.

"You are now our foot soldiers in Parliament. You have a role to play in this government. Play it well so that the people will respect you," Raila said.

He added, "This meeting was decided by the leadership to bring our members together so they can bond and serve our interest as a movement in Parliament. If you do not bond and become united, you are going to be ruled the entire life of this Parliament."

Raila used the opportunity to ask leaders elected under Azimio to save the Judiciary from state capture, transform the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission so that they conduct credible elections in future.

He told them to stop offering themselves to state capture, "because this is how dictatorship is formed."

New marriages

Echoing his sentiments was Azimio principal and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, who said the ones who have sought refuge in Kenya Kwanza should get back to the coalition as they are still bounded by the MoU they signed.

"We are the majority but we need to sit together to claim our space. Even those contracting new marriages without a proper divorce should stop,'' she said.

The speakers of the two Houses are expected to gazette the date of the first sitting following the swearing-in of the 13th Parliament.

Already, nominated MP John Mbadi, MPs Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and Junet Mohamed (Suna East) have fronted their names for the majority leader slot of the National Assembly with Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu (Wiper) interested in the deputy slot.

Sirisia MP John Waluke is among MPs who want a piece of cake in the PSC. "I have had a talk with the Azimio top leadership, that is our former President and Raila Odinga and I have their blessings,'' he said during the retreat.

Expressing his displeasure on the September 5th judgement, Raila said the court did a disservice to the country.

State capture

The judges in their unanimous verdict said Azimio lacked enough evidence to back their claims of an irregular process.

But according to Raila, the verdict was laced in insults. "We have noticed the attitude, the thuggery, and the corruption... the words the Supreme Court used against us have never been used even in the dark days of single-party rule and state capture of the Judiciary," Raila said.

He added, "I've seen them protesting and trying to give threats, we will talk. The Constitution gives power to the people."

Raila said the Judiciary has already been captured by the new administration and even promised goodies.

He questioned why President William Ruto was quick in promising the Judiciary more cash immediately he was sworn in and why he had not used legal means to allocate them funds.

During his inauguration, President Ruto promised to increase the Judiciary budget by an additional Sh3 billion for the next five years

Raila said it is Parliament that should scrutinise and approve whether funds should be allocated.

He said Parliament will carry out three tasks; Saving the Judiciary from state capture, transforming IEBC and stopping the Executive from conducting state capture.

"There is a push by the Executive to hold the Judiciary through enticement hence the rush to swear in judges and allocate money. The allocation is done by Parliament following a scrutiny but the Executive has given itself that role to bribe them,'' he said.