Outrage over DP way of sharing pie with Azimio allies
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s statement over the sharing of State jobs has opened the lid on the rivalry between Kenya Kwanza partners, on the one hand, and new allies who joined the movement from the Opposition, on the other.
President William Ruto, Rigathi and Chief Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi have been reaching out to Azimio-allied MPs to support the Kenya Kwanza agenda with a promise of goodies.
Azimio allies from Western and Northern Kenya and Nyanza have expressed willingness to support the Ruto administration, which is seeking to curtail the influence that Azimio leader Raila Odinga enjoys.
Johnny-come-lately
Ruto and Rigathi met Nyanza MPs and introduced them to key officials who will be central in the implementation of their development requests, in reciprocation for their political support inside and outside Parliament in the face of weekly rallies that Raila has been organising.
However, Rigathi has warned that the Johnny-come-lately will have to wait in the queue because priority will be given to the founding members of Kenya Kwanza and their supporters. According to Gachagua, the “government is like a company” and the reward pattern depends on one’s investment.
“There are owners who have the majority of shares, and those with just a few, while others do not have any. You invested in this government and you must reap,” he said in reference to the support Kenya Kwanza got during the elections. “You sowed, tilled, put manure and irrigated, and now it is time to reap.”
He promised to give priority to the leaders who stood with Kenya Kwanza from the beginning. “Those who came in late will be forced to wait a little longer,” noted the DP.
There have been murmurs that the President has been rewarding individuals who played a peripheral role in Kenya Kwanza at the expense of his traditional allies.
Eyeing CAS jobs
The President’s allies who lost in the election are aggressively lobbying for the eminent appointment of Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) positions in the public service after the court on Thursday declared the posts legal.
Rigathi is keen to assume the Mt Kenya kingpinship following President Kenyatta’s retirement and is among Kenya Kwanza forces said to be on an onslaught to poach Jubilee members as part of his effort to solidify support in his new power base.
President Ruto and Gachagua last week hosted Jubilee MPs at State House. During the meeting, the lawmakers declared they would support the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Jubilee MPs Sabina Chege, Samuel Arama, Adan Keynan and Kanini Kega (East African Legislative Assembly) have trooped to Jubilee, triggering Raila’s fury.
Yesterday, Ms Chege asked Jubilee Party leader Uhuru Kenyatta to come out and give political direction to his troops.
She said the party has not held a single meeting since the General Election, unlike others which have held several meetings to forge the way forward.
Speaking during a talk show on one of the local television stations, the nominated MP challenged Uhuru to state his position on the on-goings in the party following a recent meeting where some national officials allied to the former president were replaced.
Those said to have been replaced during the recent National Executive Committee meeting include Uhuru’s allies David Murathe and former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni.
They have since got a reprieve from the Political Parties Tribunal.
“There has not been a single meeting called by the party leader, and the members feel lost because there is no one to give direction on what we are supposed to do,” said Ms Chege.
She claimed Uhuru’s deafening silence has given room to other parties in Azimio coalition to trample over Jubilee, citing the sharing of various positions in the Senate and the National Assembly where ODM and Wiper parties took the lion’s share.
“Other parties have leaders who are fighting for the interests of their members, but us in Jubilee have been left like orphans,” she added.
Nyanza leaders who have met government officials are the subject of disciplinary action by the party.
Raila has described the Ruto visitors as traitors and dared them to resign.
“The leaders did not ask the people who elected them whether they want to go to Kenya Kwanza,” he said.
Resign and go
“These members who have defected from Azimio need to resign from their positions and go,” Odinga added during Azimio’s PG meeting. He laughed off an explanation by the MPs that they met President Ruto in search of unity and development for the constituents.
Odinga said the 2010 Constitution clearly separates functions between the Executive and the Legislature, and therefore State House visits to strategize on development were unwarranted.
“These people must be seen for what they are. They are traitors in the cause of the revolution!” he said.
