Ruto Breaks Ranks With ODM

Search The Web Custom Search

Agriculture Minister and ODM deputy leader William Ruto has broken ranks with his party and told off its disgruntled MPs to shape up or ship out.
Ruto said this even as it emerged that a new political alliance between himself and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta could be in the offing.
Ruto led Rift Valley MPs in roundly condemning their party’s demand that the power sharing accord for the grand coalition be renegotiated.
Speaking at a fundraising at Chematich Secondary School in Cherangany on Sunday, Ruto challenged "dissatisfied ODM MPs" to quit the Grand Coalition Government.
He accused the disgruntled ODM MPs of frustrating the working spirit of the coalition.
"We should be talking about hunger, the failing education standards and not the improper sharing of power," said Ruto.
To prove that he would be willing to go it alone, Ruto further challenged the dissatisfied ODM MPs to quit the coalition as "individuals instead of threatening that the party was about to withdraw from Government".
Ruto, who was accompanied by several ODM MPs, said the current government had a mandate of five years to serve Kenyans.
Fair share
The Rift Valley MPs drove their message even more clearly yesterday when they joined Ruto at yet another fundraising at Kapsabet Showground in Emgwen Constituency of Nandi District, where they made it clear that they would quickly take up Cabinet positions if their ODM colleagues walked out of the coalition.
And even as ODM pushes for a fair share of government positions in the coalition, the Rift Valley MPs re-opened dispute over the sharing of government positions among their party members.
The MPs included Assistant ministers Charles Keter, William Cheptumo and Aden Duale.
Others were area MPs Elijah Lagat, Magerer Langat (Kepkelion), David Koech (Mosop), Peris Simam (Eldoret South), Jackson Kiptanui (Keiyo South), Charles Keter (Belgut), Julius Kones (Konoin), Lucas Chepkitony (Keiyo North), David Koech (Mosop), Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny, nominated MP Musa Sirma, Isaac Ruto and politician Alex Kosgey.
The possibility of the alliance between Ruto and Uhuru — and possibly Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka — was given credence by Assistant minister Kareke Mbiuki, who sensationally revealed that he had been involved in meetings between the two and that a political union was in the offing.
Mbiuki disclosed that Uhuru and Ruto had met and worked on a possible political alliance.
Mbiuki, a close ally of the Finance minister, said majority of Central Kenya MPs —including the chairman of the region’s Parliamentary caucus Ephraim Maina, who is also the Mathira MP — were in support of Uhuru’s move to forge an alliance with Ruto.
Mbiuki said he had mediated talks between Uhuru and Ruto, which could result in a key political partnership in the run-up to the 2012 General Elections.
Speaking at Ngunga Primary School in his Nithi constituency where he distributed relief food to residents of the remote Igamba Ng’ombe division on Sunday, Mbiuki said the two had been holding meetings aimed at a political union.
"Mr Ruto is my minister while Mr Kenyatta is my party chairman. Both of them are youthful and have a long history in Kanu. I relate with them well. I have been the middleman in talks that could result in a major political alliance," said the Nithi MP. He hinted that the alliance would also include the Vice-President.
Efforts to reach Ruto about Mbiuki’s claims were unsuccessful as his mobile phone went unanswered.
The ODM MPs from the North and South Rift region who attended the Ruto function said those demanding re-negotiations should tell Kenyans of their political intensions.



Mr Lagat dared those who wanted to quit the coalition saying, "We will move in swiftly and replace them as soon as they quit."
Isaac Ruto said if fresh negotiations will be done, then a third principal should be engaged because "the half a loaf ODM received was not fairly distributed."
Kutuny said if there was to be any renegotiations, then the distribution of the half loaf in ODM should first be addressed.
Simmering rows
"The party should not be personalized. It belongs to all Kenyans and there should be fairness," Kuttuny said, revealing the simmering rows within ODM.
Ruto said "As leaders we must strive to focus our energies to develop the country by addressing pertinent issues affecting Kenyans," said Ruto.
Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny and nominated MP Musa Sirma said some MPs had hatched a plot to weaken and destroy the coalition. They vowed to stick to the principles of the one-year-old grand coalition.
"Those out to scuttle the grand coalition have a hidden agenda and we challenge them to declare their interests without compromising the party," said Kutuny.
Duale said ODM MPs from Rift Valley, Coast, Western and North Eastern would protect the coalition and termed those agitating for its collapse as daydreamers.
The Agriculture minister censured his Cabinet colleagues for allegedly abdicating their responsibilities and instead wasting time in unnecessary and unhealthy political talk.
Ruto’s sentiments were echoed by nine MPs at the function who also dismissed threats by their colleagues to quit the Government.
"It is an unrealistic plot to return the country backwards when we have many challenges to overcome," said Ruto.
The MPs said ODM was a senior partner in the coalition and would not pull out of Government.
They termed the quit threats orchestrated by some MPs from Nyanza province as misplaced.
This is a clear breakaway from ODM’s National Executive Council (NEC) that kicked off the storm last week by demanding that the coalition National Accord be re-negotiated to provide for a 50-50 stake for their party and PNU.
Addressing a press conference then, ODM Secretary-General Anyang’ Nyong’o said the party was tired of staying in a marriage where their rights were being ignored. Thanks To The Standard


Mdaku Says- Show Us The Maize First Then Tutahama Chama,Mahindi, Bande, Oduma, Just Give Us A Few Cobs We Roast And We Will Be All Good Mr Roots!!

Subscribe to changamkamkenya

Email:

Visit this group