|
Kalonzo acting alone, say MP
February 26, 2008
EA STANDARD
By Martin Mutua
Cracks have emerged in ODM-Kenya.
Some party MPs are accusing Vice-President, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, of
running the affairs of the party single handedly.
The MPs also accused Kalonzo of having secured his position
allegedly on the agreement that he would "organise" the
resettlement of displaced people — as a result of the political
impasse — in Ukambani.
The MPs warned Kalonzo that such a move would be resisted since
they had not been consulted and would not allow Ukambani to be a
resettlement area. They said many residents also need land.
The MPs said they were disappointed with the party leadership as
no Parliamentary Group meeting had been called and that it
appeared that their party had been ‘swallowed’ by PNU.
"ODM-Kenya was never consulted when the party joined the
Government. Although there were a few discussions, there was no
party stand on the matter," they added.
Addressing a news conference at Parliament buildings, the MPs — Mr
Kiema Kilonzo (Mutitu), Mr Charles Kilonzo (Yatta) and Ms Wavinya
Ndeti (Kathiani) — said the turn of events in ODM-Kenya was
disturbing.
Charles said ODM-Kenya MPs support a grand coalition for the sake
of peace and not a come-we-stay mode of Government that serves
selfish interests.
"We are disturbed by the manner in which the Vice-President has
been running the party," the MPs said.
They had called the news conference to protest at what they termed
as tampering with the list of nominated councillors in Ukambani
allegedly by Kalonzo at the weekend.
The MPs criticised the VP for not nominating party chairman, Mr
Daniel Maanzo, to Parliament.
"Maanzo was the person who stood by Kalonzo when his political
life was threatened. Kalonzo nominated his own people against the
wishes of the party," added the MPs.
The MPs appealed to the ODM-Kenya Secretary-General, Mr Mutula
Kilonzo, to call a Parliamentary Group meeting for Kalonzo to
account for his actions. Wavinya said Kalonzo was employing the
same tactics he had used to shortchange her over the party ticket
in the run-up to the General Election.
"Kalonzo should recognise that I am now the MP for Kathiani and he
can do nothing about it… No one can change that except the people
of Kathiani," she added.
The MP, who ran on a CCU ticket, also accused Kalonzo of
interfering in her constituency.
"While we are trying to unite the country, others are busy
employing tactics of dividing people. If Kalonzo wants our support,
he must respect us and stop treating us like children," she added.
Kilonzo said the fear in Ukambani was that Kalonzo had negotiated
for his V-P slot on the agreement that he would resettle the
displaced in Ukambani.
"We object to any such move because if that were to happen, it
should not be the work of an individual but through discussions by
elected leaders. After all, Ukambani itself is not enough for the
people," he added.
Kiema said Local Government minister, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, was a
better negotiator because Kanu, which has 11 MPs, got five slots
in the Cabinet, while ODM-Kenya, which has 16 MPs, only got two.
Kilonzo said Kalonzo was the only happy ODM-Kenya MP as most
Ukambani MPs were disappointed with him but were afraid to say so.
"We were sure we were building Kalonzo during the elections. But
we have since discovered that he was busy destroying us at the
same time," added Kilonzo, saying the MPs would not be taken for
granted again.
Kilonzo said if their leaders asked them to jump, they would not
ask, "how high". Instead, he said, they would ask: "Why jump?"
"We will not, as ODM-Kenya, vote as a block in Parliament because
we have realised we have been taken for granted for a long time.
We shall vote for the interests of Kenyans and not the selfish
interest of individuals," they added.
ODM-Kenya has nominated former Assistant minister, Mr Mohamed
Affey, and Lamu East politician, Mr Shakila Abdalla.
The move has angered many in the party because several MPs and
party supporters favoured Maanzo.
Maanzo has also accused Kalonzo of betrayal, saying the VP
prevailed upon him to step down for former PC, Mr Peter Kiilu, for
the Makueni parliamentary seat for nomination in return.
Maanzo and Kalonzo’s running mate in the last elections, Dr Julia
Ojiambo, have since moved to court to stop the nomination of the
two.
|
