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Kibaki told to dissolve Cabinet
March 10, 2008
EA STANDARD
By Peter Atsiaya and Patrick Beja
ODM Pentagon member Mrs Charity Ngilu and Hamisi MP Mr George
Khaniri have asked President Kibaki to dissolve the Cabinet.
Ngilu and Khaniri said the move would pave way for reconstituting
of the Cabinet in accordance with the guidelines in the new
power-sharing deal. The leaders said sharing of Cabinet portfolios
should be decided by Kibaki and Prime Minister- designate Mr Raila
Odinga. They said Kibaki’s henchmen should be locked out of the
exercise because they would end up serving their interests.
"The ministers have no business being in office after Kibaki and
Raila signed a power-sharing deal," Khaniri said. He added that
ODM and PNU should be equal partners before a new government is
set up.
"We cannot be equal partners when our colleagues are occupying
Cabinet positions. They should relinquish them so that we start on
the same footage," said the MP.
Ngilu told Kibaki to be committed to the deal and adhere to the
guidelines outlined in the structure.
Said she: "Guidelines on the balancing of the portfolio should be
followed by Kibaki. Let him not shortchange his ODM partners."
But Ngilu was optimistic that the President would not shortchange
Raila and would ensure a balance in allocation of positions in the
Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Imams at the Coast want MPs to concentrate on enacting
Bills that would legalise the power-sharing deal between ODM and
PNU instead of scrambling for the positions of Deputy Prime
Ministers.
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) South Coast
chairman, Sheikh Khamis Banda, said Kenyans wanted the Bills to be
enacted and entrenched in the Constitution so that the grand
coalition Government could start work.
Banda said the emerging struggle for positions diverted the
attention on the pending key Bills. He said Kanu National chairman,
Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, was under PNU and should not scramble for the
deputy premiership slot under Kanu banner.
He added: "Honourable Uhuru and Vice President Mr Kalonzo Musyoka
(ODM-Kenya leader) are in the PNU Government and should bargain
from their side since their parties were not part of the deal,"
Banda said.
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