Raila Odinga dares defectors to leave now

Cord leader Raila Odinga with ODM leaders from Western and Nyanza during an ODM rally at Eshisiru, in Lurambi Kakamega County. (Photo: Benjamin Sakwa/Standard)

CORD leader Raila Odinga has told Opposition leaders set to defect to leave immediately, on a day his allies questioned the source of funding for Jubilee Party’s lavish launch.

Raila Wednesday claimed the ruling coalition had compromised CORD members on the back of reports that 35 MPs and five governors will decamp to Jubilee during the launch of President Uhuru Kenyatta's new party on Saturday.

"Let those who want to leave the party go away immediately to create space for others. When they leave, more are ready to join us. Some MPs have failed to perform their duties and they are now running to hide in Jubilee, arguing that they are seeking development. ODM is not shaken by their decisions to quit and join Jubilee," he told a meeting in Kakamega.

In Nairobi, ODM MPs Thomas Mwadeghu (Wundanyi), Junet Mohammed (Suna East), Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), Abdikadir Ore (Wajir West) and Victor Mwololo (Voi) challenged the Jubilee administration to declare the source of funds for its display of opulence ahead of the Jubilee Party launch.

"This past one week we have seen a massive primitive display of resources by Jubilee in preparation for its merger on Saturday. We find this display of wealth at odds with the state of the nation. We demand they tell Kenyans the source of the funds," said Mr Mohammed, who read a joint statement.

"The majority of parties that have joined Jubilee are largely briefcase parties that were struggling to secure even office space just the other day. They can't be the source of the funds," he continued.

"We are witnessing the return of the politics of money of the kind last seen in 1992 and 1997. How did a party yet to be born acquire a building of that value, vehicles, posters, Sh10,000 per delegate per day and the many other goodies being displayed?" asked Mohammed.

The MP said the Government had recently borrowed money to finance infrastructural projects, but now, it had the money to splash out on a new building and vehicles.

The ODM legislators also want Jubilee to assure Kenyans that its activities will not lead to the kind of inflation that was witnessed in the country after the 1992 elections.

"We want Jubilee to assure Kenyans that it is not going to print money; if it has not started doing so out of desperation," read part of the statement.

The MPs warned in the event that the source of funds was not disclosed by Saturday, then the refusal would confirm to Kenyans that the Eurobond money was indeed stolen.

But Jubilee merger co-chairmen Kiraitu Murungi and Noah Wekesa dismissed the claims by the Opposition that the Government was using State resources to finance its three-day launch.

Addressing a Press conference at the new Jubilee Party offices in Nairobi's Pangani, they said the money was from the Political Parties Funds kitty and donations from party members and friends.

"People can say anything. They can even say that I am a woman but that does not make it factual," said Kiraitu. "We are using money from the Political Parties Funding. TNA, URP and APK are big parties with many members and we are not poor people," he added.

The ODM MPs also challenged Majority Leader Aden Duale to table the list of Opposition leaders alleged to be defecting.

"We challenge Jubilee to table the list of the Opposition leaders who have defected. We would also love to know them," said Mohammed.

In Kakamega, Raila said CORD relies on Kenyans for its strength, not leaders who do not have a political stand. He said some leaders from Western region wanted everything for themselves but have lost it all.

-Alex Wakhisi, Jackline Inyanji and Rawlings Otieno