More demonstrations as CORD, Jubilee maintain hardline stance over IEBC stalemate

CORD leader Raila Odinga flanked by ODM leaders from Nyamira addresses a crowd at Nyamaiya stadium in Nyamira county on June 10,2016. Raila was in the county in bid to strengthen ODM party in the Gusii region ahead of next general elections. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

The grandstanding by CORD and Jubilee over the electoral commission appeared more pronounced yesterday despite calls for dialogue to reform the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

CORD co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula announced that they would hold demonstrations twice a week, on Monday and Thursday, to force commissioners of the IEBC to leave office.

However, President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared unperturbed by threats from the opposition, telling them that they are free to demonstrate as long as they do not destroy property or attack the police.

“They can even sleep at Uhuru Park if they want. We can put up houses for them to sleep in at Uhuru Park, but they should not destroy property,” said Kenyatta during a tour of Ukambani yesterday.

But in Nairobi, Kalonzo told journalists after a closed-door CORD meeting that they would push on with  demonstrations, as this was the only way Jubilee would listen to them.

And governors also joined the Opposition to push for the exit of IEBC commissioners. The Council of Governors (CoG) Chairman Peter Munya welcomed the President’s offer for dialogue, and said this was crucial as the country heads towards the 2017 General Election.

“IEBC was a subject of a consultative meeting convened by the Council on June 7. This is a window of opportunity and a first step in the right direction,” said Governor Munya.

Governors Isaac Ruto (Bomet), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Jack Ranguma (Kisumu) and Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia) demanded that IEBC commissioners quit before the next polls.

Governor Ruto said electoral malpractices in the last election had tainted the integrity of the commissioners.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital yesterday, Governor Ruto called for reforms of the electoral system to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2017.

Speaking in Nyamira, CORD leader Raila Odinga maintained that the opposition would not accept dialogue over electoral reforms through a parliamentary process.

He told residents that the CORD secretariat had already notified the police of planned demonstrations on Monday and Thursday next week.

“We are saying if mediation to break the IEBC stalemate is to be pursued, then we must include all stakeholders, including civil society, trade unions, religious organisations, among others and not just MPs in a Parliament-led process,” said Raila.

This came as leaders, including diplomats, piled pressure on the government and the Opposition to urgently resolve the IEBC stand-off.

High Commissioners and ambassadors from the European Union separately met President Kenyatta and the Opposition leaders over the IEBC stalemate. CORD leaders later acknowledged that the foreign envoys and church leaders pressed for the talks. The President this week softened his stance over a position he held a week ago that no talks would be held outside what was stipulated in the Constitution.

On Wednesday, the Head of State convened a Jubilee Coalition Parliamentary Group (PG) where they agreed to form a Joint Select Committee and further nominate an 11-member team to spearhead talks with CORD.

But the offer was quickly rejected by CORD, which demanded a team of two people be picked from each side to thrash out preliminary issues, among them the terms of reference.

Another point of departure revolved around the issues to be discussed by the two sides, with the President and his team insisting that they only deal with IEBC, while their protagonists insisted that other broader issues like the registration of voters, issuance if identity cards and the voting process be addressed.

A stand-off now persists with CORD insisting on talks outside Parliament while Jubilee roots for a parliamentary process.

It has also emerged that CORD is rooting for a 14-member committee comprising seven members from each coalition with four joint secretaries who are not parliamentary staff. It also wants Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro and his National Assembly counterpart Justin Muturi to be removed as members of the committee. But the problem at hand is that Jubilee has thrown to CORD’s court an 11-member team led by Senator Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), with a-30 day period for them to come up with modalities on how to end the impasse.

CORD on its part named two representatives —Senator James Orengo (Siaya-ODM) and Esseli Simiyu (Tongaren-Kenya)—to reach out to their Jubilee counterparts yesterday to thrash out the contentious issues.

Yesterday, Kiraitu denied knowledge of communication between the President and Raila on the composition of team to resolve the IEBC issue. “I am the leader of the Jubilee negotiating team and the President would have informed me if there was such communication from CORD. So far, he has not told me anything. Our position of having a 22-member team still stands,” he said.

But Dr Esseli faulted Jubilee on the list of names and accused them of blocking the talks. “Jubilee has reneged on forming a four-member committee. We were to meet them on Thursday evening but they refused. We are meeting to discuss the way forward,” Esseli said.

The Opposition is also demanding for the select committee to deal with more issues touching on elections apart from sending IEBC commissioners home. They want the committee’s report endorsed by both coalitions before being taken to Parliament for approval. Kiaraitu took a swipe at CORD for trying to delay the process by introducing a different agenda “We need to move forward as a country by sticking to the issues at hand and deal with them expeditiously,” he said.

Kalonzo dismissed claims that the omission of Wiper Party officials in the initial team for the talks had created a rift within CORD.

No rift

Wiper party Chairman Senator David Musila also downplayed talk of a rift over the list of nominees.

“I know there are people trying to create a wedge between us, that your party has been deceived. There is no such thing, I want to say, CORD will remain strong as we go towards elections. Watch this pace,” said Mr Musila.

He added, “Wiper party welcomes the President’s move because it is open and it’s the opportunity we have been fighting for. Wiper has also not been sidelined in any talks.”

“We have three co-chairs of the coalition from the three parties. The two were present. When it comes to membership of the expanded committee, the committee is yet to be announced by CORD, the three parties have already presented their proposals for the names.”

He announced that CORD would meet next week to ratify the names the parties have proposed and then come up with a list that is acceptable to the opposition coalition. “I want to dispel any rumour that the Wiper party has been given a raw deal. We met yesterday as a party and submitted the names,” he said.