KIBAKI , RAILA ALLIES ENTRENCH PARTY POSITIONS

THE STANDARD
NAIROBI, KENYA
April 6, 2009
By DAVID OCHAMI

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s allies have traded accusations over the collapse of weekend Coalition talks in Kilaguni.

Both teams have given conflicting accounts of what led to the failure.

On Sunday, Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) issued a Press statement in Nairobi, accusing the Prime Minister of walking out on Kibaki, and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of trying to divide the Armed Forces and Civil Service.

Part of the crowd that attended an ODM rally addressed by Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Makongeni grounds in Nairobi, on Sunday. [PHOTO: COLLINS KWEYU/STANDARD]

It was in response to a statement by Raila on Saturday evening.

Almost simultaneously, officials at the PM’s office released documents and claimed copies of reports issued by PNU at its Press briefing were false, selective and a misrepresentation of proceedings between both parties before and after the abortive Kilaguni retreat.

At the same time, PNU and ODM gave different accounts of who, between Kibaki and Raila, sabotaged the talks or walked out on the other.

conflicting agenda

An ODM official at the PM’s office, who requested anonymity, claimed Kibaki refused to join delegates in the hall all morning, as they haggled over conflicting agenda items, moments after PNU claimed it was Raila who refused to meet the President.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, who read the statement accompanied by seven ministers, 23 MPs and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, declared that, in spite of the Saturday events, "the Grand Coalition is not about to collapse because no one is talking about running away from the coalition".

But Transport Minister Ali Mwakwere accused ODM of exhibiting "arrogance and inconsiderate and hallucination" for leaving the talks, and claimed Raila walked out on Kibaki.

Uhuru accused ODM of trying to force recruitment and appointments into the Armed Forces on party lines.

"ODM wants PNU and ODM military officers," he said, and also accused Raila of refusing to "meet the President at some stage".

PNU members Johnstone Muthama (left) and Dick Wathika leave Serena Hotel after a meeting, on Sunday. [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA/STANDARD]

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti claimed the Coalition "is not collapsing as portrayed in the media", but accused ODM of introducing an agenda that could not be discussed at Kilaguni.

Kalonzo claimed the talks collapsed because ODM sprung an agenda on PNU about the constitution of the Armed Forces, appointments to diplomatic missions and Civil Service, which he alleged could not be discussed by the Permanent Committee on the Management of the Grand Coalition Affairs or outside comprehensive review of the Constitution.

He also alleged that ODM wanted to discuss Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura, and renegotiation of the National Accord.

"It is clear that coalition partners are seeking renegotiation of the February 2008 National Accord," said the VP, who also alleged that PNU wanted to discuss fast implementation of Agenda 4 on long-term solutions to Kenya’s problems, impunity and review the implementation of the National Accord.

But ODM disputed documents issued by Kalonzo.

Both parties agreed a pre-retreat agenda and programme be published by Presidential Adviser Kivutha Kibwana and PM’s Adviser Miguna Miguna, after extensive consultations in Government. The draft agenda, which ODM says was agreed with PNU, has more items than that released by the VP. His version has eight items and ODM’s 12and does not refer to Armed Forces and renegotiation of the National Accord.