KENYA: CORD co-principal Raila Odinga has given the Jubilee Alliance one month to meet his coalition over plans for a referendum to amend the Constitution.
But even as the former Prime Minister issued the ultimatum, President Uhuru Kenyatta scoffed at CORD’s push for a Constitutional review on the day the opposition alliance led by Raila, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula launched campaigns for the referendumvote.
Uhuru cautioned that referendum politics would be disruptive and premature, coming soon after the contested March 4 presidential vote, as Raila announced the opposition had given the Government one-month to agree on referendum road map.
CORD has backed the governors’ crusade for a constitutional amendment to increase the allocation to counties and is rooting for another review to replace the presidential system of government with a parliamentary one. “We campaigned and the leaders were elected. Kenyans should now be left to work and leaders to serve. Where were they when the Constitution was being passed?” President Uhuru posed, apparently referring to CORD leaders who campaigned for the new Constitution while serving as part of the grand coalition Government.
The Head of State spoke during the official opening of the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) Women Council Conference at the proposed Theological college grounds in Kamulu, Nairobi yesterday.
But Raila, who was accompanied by his co-principal, Moses Wetangula, chose Coast that voted overwhelmingly for CORD to step up the pressure on President Uhuru’s regime.
Raila said CORD leaders were ready to meet with like-minded legislators in the ruling Jubilee Alliance to work out the way forward for a referendum.
Kenyans support
“We are giving the Government one month to meet us to decide on the way forward to thereferendum. If the Jubilee government accepts to meet us its fine, and if it does not accept then we will move forward to implement the referendum as we have the support of Kenyans,” Raila in Taveta Town.
Among those who accompanied the former premier were senators Dan Mwazo Johnstone Muthama, Otieno Kajwang, and James Orengo. Others included MPs
Thomas Mwadeghu, Jones Mlolwa, Adrew Mwadime, Chris Wamalwa, Taita-Taveta Governor John Mruttu, Speaker of the County Assembly Meshack Maghanga and several county representatives. The former PM said the opposition was pushing for the Constitutional referendum because majority of Kenyans preferred a parliamentary system of government to the current presidential one.
“The Government does not understand the benefits of devolution and that is why its leadership is opposed to it. They are the major beneficiaries of the centralised system of government and are not ready to allow devolution,” said Raila.
“The problem with the Government is that it does not want to bring money to the county governments and that is why we are going round meeting Kenyans to decide the future destiny of the country,” he added.
“Kenyans voted overwhelmingly to the new Constitution and we want them to enjoy the fruits of supporting the document. As CORD we want the current revenue allocation raised from 15 per cent to 40 per cent,” Raila added. Wetangula accused the Government of failing to distribute resources equally to Kenyans, claiming the current Cabinet and Principal Secretaries were skewed in favour of certain communities.
“The Government has failed to adhere to the contents of the Constitution. It is discriminating against areas that voted for CORD in appointments, and this is wrong for unity and integration of the country,” said the Bungoma Senate.
But as the CORD brigade ratcheted up the pressure on the regime, Senators allied to Jubilee warned they would drop out of the campaign for the Constitutionalreferendum if the opposition exploits it to undermine President Uhuru’s Administration.
The Jubilee Senate leadership accused Raila of seeking to hijack the push for a Constitutional amendment to further his selfish political agenda. The Senators said they will not allow the Cord leader to make political capital out of the “noble” process they initiated to protect devolution.
Political mileage
Led by Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, the MPs said they would rather drop the referendum campaign than allow it give Raila and his group political mileage.
The Jubilee Senators said Raila and his supporters were free to champion their Constitutional amendment to install a parliamentary system, but should not ride on the Senate initiative. “We will not allow people to ride on the Senate to advance their parochial interests. We are afraid that our noble process, which had a bi-partisan approach as it is meant to strengthen the Senate and protect devolution, has now been hijacked by elements furthering their agenda,” said Prof Kindiki.
He added: “We have heard people going round the country telling Kenyans that they are bringing their amendments together with the Senate, but we are urging them to sell their agenda independently.”
CORD leaders started public rallies to advocate for the review of the Constitution, the latest source of friction with the Jubilee Alliance.
“We want to caution those who want to win mileage and make political capital out of the process that they will not ride on our noble process,” said Prof Kindiki.
The chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Devolution Kipchumba Murkomen, said that while the Senate will soldier on with its referendum agenda, it would resist games of those who want to use the idea to resuscitate their political careers.
