By Isaac Ongiri
Prime Minister Raila Odinga moved to mend cracks in ODM by hosting the top party organ, the Pentagon, for dinner at his home on Tuesday night.
The Pentagon rendezvous came as ODM MPs, at war with the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) over the controversial Waki Report, prepared for a parliamentary group meeting this morning at the Old Chambers of Parliament.
The Pentagon meeting started shortly after 7pm and went on until 11pm.
All Pentagon members, including Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Cabinet Ministers William Ruto, Charity Ngilu, Joe Nyagah and Najib Balala, were present. ODM Chairman Henry Kosgey was also present.
During the meeting, Raila and Mr Ruto, who have been at loggerheads over the Mau Forest saga and Waki Report, allegedly reconciled in what insiders say was a "cautious truce". The Agriculture Minister was said to have told the Prime Minister that he was handling the Waki Report as though he had an agenda against him.
In response, Raila said he haboured no grudge against anyone in the Pentagon.
Members resolved that if Ruto and Raila felt there was something suspicious between them, then the Pentagon should deal with the matter.
The Pentagon was revived after it was scrapped in Naivasha only three months ago.
According to sources, the members agreed that issues that the Prime Minister conveys, especially of national importance but not Government policies, would only be made after extensive consultation.
Access to pm
The issue of Raila’s inaccessibility arose. Members blamed some officials in the PM’s office for not giving them access to him when they had pressing party issues.
"We told him he needs to make himself available, especially when there are burning issues affecting our party," a Pentagon member told The Standard.
Sources intimated that it was also resolved that the Pentagon ceases public altercations and differences be ironed out through party organs.
To ensure unity, leaders were barred from taking positions on national and party issues without consulting the National Governing Council.
A straight-shooting Ruto is said to have raised concerns on the positions taken by the PM on the Waki Report, pointing out that they had enraged party supporters in Rift Valley Province.
A Pentagon member, who spoke to The Standard on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, disclosed that the meeting was tense as Raila and Ruto explained their positions on various issues they had differed over.
When The Standard sought him yesterday, Ruto confirmed he had attended the meeting, but declined to divulge details.
No comment
"I have nothing to say, hapana! hapana! (no, no)," said the Agriculture Minister on the sidelines of MPs’ seminar at the Safari Park Hotel.
But it is understood that the PM was told to tread carefully, that his public pronouncements threatened to tear ODM apart and had caused panic among party supporters.
The Pentagon claimed that some Government functionaries, at the behest of Raila’s political enemies, could have set up a chain of unpopular issues that put the PM at loggerheads with supporters.
"The Pentagon urged him to take caution," said the source.
Ruto was, however, put to task to explain a statement attributed to him at the weekend when he threatened to lead ODM supporters in Rift Valley out of the party if their interests were not catered for.
The Agriculture Minister is said to have denied claims he planned to leave party.
It was not, however, clear whether Ruto and Raila had resolved to take a common stand on the thorny Waki Report.
Speaking at another function in Nanyuki hours after the Tuesday meeting, Nyagah denied claims the wrangles would split the party.
He said ODM was united and intact, and the war of words between key leaders in the party was just "a passing cloud".
Democracy
"ODM is a party that allows democracy to prevail. The leaders are exercising their rights, which will also ensure that the party grows," said Nyagah.
He said the party encouraged debate among members, and that "the waters will soon calm", and that the party would be strong in 2012.
"You will be shocked since we will come together, solve internal issues and certainly go on with our business," he said.
On the Waki Report, Nyagah said the party was for its implementation.
"We support the recommendations of Justice Waki," he said.
Nyagah, however, urged Kenyans to first study the report before jumping to conclusions how the perpetrators of violence should be tried.
He, however, rooted for a local tribunal, saying Kenyans should deal with their own problems.
Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, who is the ODM PG secretary, confirmed this morning’s meeting.