Beauttah Omanga
29 April 2008
Nairobi — ODM has stated its official position on the ongoing wrangles over the pecking order, insisting that PM Raila Odinga was an equal of President Kibaki's.
"As far as we are concerned our party leader Mr Raila Odinga, who is the PM, is an equal to President Kibaki's and there is no way he will ever come below a Vice President, who doesn't have executive powers," said Nyong'o.
Addressing a news conference at Orange House, Nyong'o said the Vice President, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, was entirely to blame for the political confusion. He said ODM had dismissed "the VP's attempts to cover up his treacherous behaviour" in the post-election period. 'All Kenyans know that had Mr Musyoka not hurriedly and opportunistically joined the PNU bandwagon, Kenyans would not have gone through the terrible bloodbath that put the nation in disgrace,' stated Nyong'o, the Kisumu Rural MP and Medical Services minister.
He said while Raila had redeemed Kenyans from the post election violence by gallantly agreeing to share power with PNU for the sake of peace, unity and political stability, some people on the PNU side with little interest in preserving the nationhood, were allegedly busy trying to undermine the grand coalition government.
But PNU's, Mr George Nyamweya, dismissed the position taken by ODM that there were PNU members who wanted to undermine the PM.
"We as PNU are not aware of any scheme to undermine the PM. What happened between the PM and the Vice President was a small protocol matter which will soon be sorted out," said the nominated MP.
Nyamweya, however, said there was need to harmonise the Accord that gives the PM executive powers and the constitution, which recognises the VP as the president's principal assistant and second in command constitutionally.
Meanwhile, the real test for the Coalition Government will be the June by-elections.
ODM has declared it will be a battle against each other. Party Secretary-General, Nyong'o, said despite the leading political parties being members of the coalition government, they would fight each other politically to win the six seats.
"We are partners in the coalition, but when we go out looking for votes, friendship won't hold," said Nyong'o.
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I have no problems with Raila becoming an equal to President Kibaki if "coalision" means equality according to Prof. Nyongo's Dictionary.All I want defined is the word "Vice-President" for the sake of our children whose teachers demand a conventional answer in their Civic lessons, a universal answer. If Kalonzo is 3rd in the pecking order,then that makes Raila 2nd to Kibaki,not his equal.By this logic, Raila is then Kibaki's VP,not his equal.If Kalonzo is Raila's junior,then Kalonzo is Raila's Deputy, not Musalia. What a mess!
I have no problems with Raila becoming an equal to President Kibaki if "coalision" means equality according to Prof. Nyongo's Dictionary.All I want defined is the word "Vice-President" for the sake of our children whose teachers demand a conventional answer in their Civic lessons, a universal answer. If Kalonzo is 3rd in the pecking order,then that makes Raila 2nd to Kibaki,not his equal.By this logic, Raila is then Kibaki's VP,not his equal.If Kalonzo is Raila's junior,then Kalonzo is Raila's Deputy, not Musalia. what a mess!