Cord, Jubilee tussle over dialogue calls just after embracing in funeral

Senate Majority leader Kithure Kindiki

The country's main political alliances Sunday differed on calls for national dialogue, only days after they appeared to read from the same script on the contentious issue that heightened political tensions last year.

The dialogue calls were renewed on Thursday and Saturday during the funeral service and burial respectively of Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga's son Fidel.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a direct response to former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and nominated MP Oburu Odinga who had advised leaders to use Fidel's death as the unifying factor between the two coalitions, said he was ready to dialogue with Opposition chiefs.

The same message was carried to Bondo where Raila, his daughter Rosemary and The National Alliance Chairman Johnson Sakaja reiterated the calls for talks.

However Sunday, Jubilee leaders dismissed the calls saying some of those pushing for national dialogue had ulterior intentions.

National Assembly Majority Leaders Aden Duale and his Senate counterpart Kithure Kindiki said any meaningful talks can only be conducted within constitutional institutions like Parliament.

Leadership vacuum

Mr Daule accused CORD of hiding their real intentions, saying Jubilee is here to stay and CORD should concentrate on providing an effective Opposition since there is no constitutional crisis or leadership vacuum.

"If CORD wants to do any engagement with us they can only do it through institutions created by the Constitution such as Parliament. All that Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila want is a grand coalition, a nusu mkate, and we are telling them never," said Duale.

"Our position as Jubilee has never changed. Dialogue is a welcome and positive national culture that should be welcomed. But we have said that the Constitution has established solid institutions and organs that can be used," Prof Kindiki added.

However, Mr Kalonzo told The Standard that President Kenyatta can choose to ignore hard-liners and sycophants in his Government and emulate retired President Daniel Moi who in 1997 invited political parties through the Inter-Parliamentary Parties Group (IPPG) to discuss minimum reforms ahead of the elections.

Kalonzo, MPs Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem) and Junet Mohamed (Suna east) said the Jubilee-controlled Parliament has lost its credibility and cannot be trusted to spearhead any meaningful talks.

Kalonzo said just like Jubilee is demanding the use of institutions, both the governing and opposition coalitions are institutions recognised by the same Constitution and should be used.

"We saw what happened on December 18 and with such an atmosphere can we hold any meaningful dialogue? We should emulate the 1997 IPPG negotiations and dialogue in good faith. We must avoid a dogmatic approach," he said.

Junet warned some Jubilee hard-liners not to hold the country at ransom saying dialogue is made by parties, and the Opposition is not asking for dialogue as a favour but for the good of the country.

"Parliament's mandate is clearly spelt out in article 95 and 96 of the Constitution and part of it is not conducting dialogue but lawmaking, oversight and representation. That is why we are not dealing with the second tier of Jubilee leaders such as Duale and Kindiki," Junet said.

On his part, Midiwo said Parliament is the most disgraced institution and any demand that dialogue is through the same institution is a mockery.

"The only existing institution that was still credible was Parliament which they have now ruined, " Midiwo said.

Kindiki said Jubilee and Opposition leaders agree that just like any other country in the world, Kenya has its own challenges.

"It's not clear that we fully understand what it is that the CORD leadership is looking for in the context of speeches made at Fidel's burial which were largely political as the CSs were heckled," he said.

"What is this dialogue that CORD is talking about? Is it about Saba Saba and referendum rhetoric? Have they abandoned the antagonistic rhetoric? If they have then it's welcome, but if they haven't it is very deceptive of them. Those who are not in Parliament and they have ideas, let them initiate contact with the Head of State and we encourage the President to open State House to receive these leaders," the Tharaka Nithi senator added.

Kalonzo and Junet, who is also the director of ODM elections, said CORD presented 13 points during the saba saba rally which are now in their Okoa Kenya draft bill for the referendum.

"We have made it clear that somebody like Raila and myself don't want to be in Government. Which positions can we fit in? All we like is a spectrum where all communities are represented not the winner-takes-it-all in public appointments. Currently, in the public strata, there is a definite way of excluding some communities," Kalonzo said.

"CORD has set 2015 as the year for referendum but when we dialogue and find that some issues can be eliminated at the talks then, we can limit the number of issues in the referendum," Junet said.