DISGRUNTLED MINISTERS NOW FREE TO QUIT THEIR CABINET POSTS

Cabinet ministers William Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta, Najib Balala and Franklin Bett in past file pictures.

DAILY NATION
By CAROLINE WAFULA,
December 2 2009

Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Wednesday told ministers critical of the way the government is being run to resign.

“The door is wide open. You can go home if you like,” the Orange party boss said.

Mr Odinga has been under criticism, and threat of a no-confidence vote in the House, from some MPs and ministers unhappy with the manner in which the Mau Forest evictions have been carried out.

Free society

“This is a free society and if someone is not happy with what the Government is doing, they are free to go home,” he said.

He was answering Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara who had said the rift between him and Agriculture Minister William Ruto was sabotaging reforms.

The PM was briefing Parliament on progress made in implementing Agenda Four reforms, when he was questioned about his relationship with Mr Ruto. Mr Imanyara said the reforms were in danger of being undermined by fighting between members of a committee of eight ministers charged with overseeing the implementation of the reforms.

“The fighting between Cabinet ministers in this committee including the PM and Hon Ruto could undermine progress unless it is stopped,’ the MP said.

Mr Odinga said there was no bad blood between him and the minister and disagreements were bound to crop up.

“This is a democratic society and disagreement on certain issues is healthy,” he said.

He said he would take no action against those who disagreed with him on the implementation of public issues agreed on collectively in Cabinet, but they were free to walk out if they could not handle it.

He said those who stood in the way of reforms would be swept away by the wave of the people.

Responding to a question by Mr Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town, ODM-K), the PM said other countries were free to issue or deny visas to anyone as they too had their strategic interests.

The US has placed a visa ban on Attorney-General Amos Wako, accusing him of not doing enough to fight corruption. It has also threatened to do the same with other public officials.

He was answering Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara who had said the rift between him and Agriculture Minister William Ruto was sabotaging reforms.

Mr Odinga said there was no bad blood between him and the minister and disagreements were bound to crop up.

“This is a democratic society and disagreement on certain issues is healthy,” he said.

He said he would take no action against those who disagreed with him on the implementation of public issues agreed on collectively in Cabinet, but they were free to walk out if they could not handle it.