Jubilee MPs attack Raila over 'plot' to taint State ahead of Obama's visit

Jubilee lawmakers, led by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, Sunday accused CORD leader Raila Odinga and the Opposition of orchestrating a campaign calculated to discredit the Government ahead of the visit by US President Barack Obama.

The leaders seemed to be taking their cue from State House, which last week accused the Opposition of making statements to taint the image of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration ahead of planned visits by Pope Francis and President Obama.

“I must warn though that the global attention on Kenya ahead of the Obama visit for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and the visit by His Holiness will attract attention-seeking politicians. These are likely to engage in schemes that depict the Government as corrupt and incompetent,” said the President through his spokesman Manoah Esipisu.

“We are tired of these allegations and we will not allow him (Raila) to continue like this,” said Mr Duale. adding, “Obama has confirmed that he is visiting Kenya next month while Pope Francis also said he would visit in November and this is a reflection that Kenya is the best developing country.”

Duale said Obama’s visit was a strong indication that Kenya is a growing nation. He added they would not allow the Opposition to hinder the Government’s development agenda.

Same-sex marriages

Duale and MPs Kanini Kega (Kieni), Jamleck Kamau (Kigumo), Esther Gathogo (Ruiru) and Nairobi Woman Rep Rachel Shebesh were speaking at Our Lady of Divine Rosary Catholic Church in Kanyenyaini, Murang’a County, yesterday. They told off the CORD leader for labelling the National Youth Service recruits as militias.

The Jubilee leaders also said the US President should not delve into the issue of same-sex marriages following his recent public support of his country’s transition to legally recognising gayism.

“Let Obama keep away from the gay topic when he comes to Kenya. Let him know that we read the Bible and the Quran; we are Africans and don’t want these evil things,” said Duale.

Kipipiri MP Samuel Gichigi also waded into the debate, “We are telling Obama that he should talk only about development and how to promote relations between the two countries. He should not talk about anything to do with gay marriages. We are Africans and do not want gayism and other evil things in Kenya.”

Duale said Raila wanted Obama to believe that the Jubilee administration was corrupt.

“The war against corruption is being carried out by the anti-graft agency, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Auditor General, which are all independent bodies whose operations President Kenyatta cannot interfere with,” said Duale.

PM’S scandals

“We want Raila to tell us what he gave the people of Lang’ata (constituency), especially in Kibera, where he was an MP for decades, and also as a Prime Minister,” said Duale.

Mr Kamau accused Raila of accusing the Government of corruption, while he had not cleared his name from various scandals that marred the coalition government when he was Prime Minister.

“We still remember the Kazi kwa Vijana project where our youths worked and their money went to the pockets of old people,” said Kamau.

Mr Kega and Maragua MP Kamande Mwangi noted that Raila’s corruption allegations against Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru were aimed at creating a wedge between Jubilee leaders.

“We are telling him we’re aware of his intentions and we will not let anybody break the Jubilee administration. We are firmly behind President Kenyatta and his deputy and we will not let anybody who was rejected by Kenyans destroy our government,” said Kega.

Mr Mwangi added that the Opposition intended to tear into cabinet secretaries from Mt Kenya region and label them corrupt.

“They started with suspended Transport CS Michael Kamau and then turned to Waiguru. We know they will then target Health CS James Macharia,” said Mwangi.

Duale was accompanied by the MPs at a church service and a fundraiser hosted by Kangema MP Tirus Ngahu and Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura.

The leaders also dismissed claims that they had started revolting against President Kenyatta. The leaders have been accused of launching a resistance against the President and his deputy, especially after they voted against Monica Juma, a presidential nominee to the position of Secretary to the Cabinet.

“We are in support of the President and nobody should start telling Kenyans that Central MPs are fighting him,” said Kega.