Kibaki, Raila losing grip of parties, says report

By Gakuu Mathenge

A monitoring report has returned a damning verdict on the state of the Coalition. The South Consulting scorecard says PNU and ODM have splintered into factions that have rendered them uncontrollable.

"Factions have intensified so much that the principals no longer command control… new actors have evolved. This has resulted in defeat of important Bills in Parliament," says the report.

The new actors and their agenda are not captured. A verdict of rudderless political parties is bad news as they (parties) were to give impetus to the reform initiatives. Lack of political direction and mediation is affecting the work of some reform organs. A meeting scheduled for last Friday between the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review and the Committee of Experts (CoE) did not take place, owing to what Garsen MP Danson Mungatana said was "absence of bigwigs".

Lack cohesion

"The parties lack cohesion… seem opposed on important issues. The lack of coherence is attributable to lack of adequate consultations between the two sides," the report says.

ODM Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo agreed with the assessment of lack of common purpose on issues.

"But it is wrong to imply Kibaki and Raila have lost control of their parties. We lack common purpose because PNU is not interested in reforms. But President Kibaki is still in charge in PNU, and Raila in ODM. No one should imagine the two cannot get what they want from their parties," said the Gem MP. Kanu National organising secretary Justin Muturi said: "There is a sense of a free for all scenario in Government. Retired President Moi called it indiscipline gone wild."

PNU vice-chairman in charge of legal and constitutional affairs George Nyamweya said new factions are emerging.

"Party leaders have lost control of their parties over membership. But this does not mean the membership does not know the reforms the country wants. You saw what happened over Justice Ringera. The leadership wanted one thing, but the membership said no," said Nyamweya.

"New leadership is emerging whose agenda may not be what Kibaki or Raila want. We have had several platforms, and what is clear is there is a lot of consensus in the lower levels than Kenyans know."