CORD seeking cheap publicity, says Jubilee

By JAMES MBAKA

The raging insecurity in Marsabit County and the alleged gun attack on Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula have sparked off a war of words between the Jubilee and CORD alliances.

The ruling alliance yesterday opened a scathing attack on CORD leaders former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Wetang’ula for trying to fuel anarchy in the country through unfounded claims.

They accused Raila of perpetual politicking instead of providing alternative practical solutions to the problems facing the country, especially insecurity in Marsabit.

A host of jubilee legislators, led by National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Duale and his Senate counterpart Kithure Kindiki, fired a strong worded response to the CORD alliance on “wild” allegations of an assassination plot allegedly targeting opposition leaders.

Addressing the press at the Nairobi Serena, Jubilee said it was barbaric, primitive, and backward for the former PM to use a platform of threat to or loss of lives to seek cheap publicity.

Nursing hangovers

“Kenya is the only country in the world where politics is engaged year-round. Raila should learn from our neighbouring countries and other advanced democracies of what is expected of presidential losers,” he said.

Duale accused Raila of “nursing hangovers from his failures while serving as Prime Minister”.

“Let him tell us what he did for this country rather than engaging in what he is best at. He does not believe in or obey democracy, he prefers disorder, anarchy and chaos in the country,” hit Duale.

Jubilee said the government was not in the business of assassinating opposition leaders as claimed by CORD leaders following the alleged gun attack on Wetang’ula.

They said they will take the matter of the “feigned” gun attack to the floor of the House once Parliament resumes to demand answers from the senate Minority Leader-designate.

“We want police to conduct thorough investigations including the theory of elimination on the basis of stiff presidential ticket nomination within CORD and take appropriate action,” Duale said.

The police have ruled out claims by Wetang’ula that his car was short at in Nairobi after carrying out preliminary ballistic investigations.

Instead, police boss David Kimaiyo said indications were that the car had hit an advertisement banner on the roadside as the driver raced along Mbagathi Road on Thursday night and that there were no spent cartridges at the scene.

Jubilee also accused the former PM of hanging on to county governments and elected leaders at the county assemblies allied to his coalition and often capitalising on their press briefings to propel divisive ideas.

Regarding the insecurity situation in Marsabit, the legislators accused the county governor of failing to work closely with the government security agents and leaders from the region to restore peace.

They urged Governor Ukuru Yattani to embrace dialogue across the political divide in the search for a lasting solution to the raging ethnic conflict in the region.

Duale said the national government will employ legal, administrative and other constitutional mecahanisms to restore peace and solve the insecurity problem in Marsabit.

Hot potato

“You are the one who is holding the hot potato, share it with others. Rise to the occasion and stop crying like a small baby, call all the leaders to solve the ethnic polarisation rather than holding press conferences with a person who lost an election,” Duale said.

CORD leaders have accused the national government of plotting to dissolve the county government of Marsabit by orchastarting anarchy so that it can oust the current governor who is allied to the coalition.

Duale however  said the national government knew exactly at what point to intervene on county governments as provided for in Article 192 of the Constitution, but urged political leaders from the county to bury the hatchet and safe the situation before “hell breaks loose”.

Parliament last year gave the government the nod to deploy the military to the conflict prone Masrabit, West Pokot and Turkana counties, but renewd fighting continues despite their presence.

However, Cord leaders in Busia county have asked the government to carry out a thorough investigation into the alleged attempted assassination against Wetang’ula.

Led by Funyula MP Paul Otuoma and his Matayos counterpart Geoffrey Odanga, the leaders condemned the Thursday incident terming it unfortunate and unacceptable in a modern democracy.

“Police should investigate and arrest the people behind the incident  because it has raised anxiety and many Kenyans,” said Otuoma.and ballistic experts.

Additional reporting by Renson Bumula and Cyrus Ombati.