Raila, Ruto to confront issues that split ODM

The Mau forest evictions and setting up of a local tribunal to try masterminds of election violence will take centre stage at a meeting of the Orange Democratic Movement on Tuesday.

MPs and executive council members will meet to discuss the issues that have divided the party.

Intense lobbying by MPs separately from the Rift Valley, Nyanza and Maasailand preceded the meeting, which Prime Minister Raila Odinga hopes to use to mend the rift in ODM.

Local tribunal

On Monday, Rift Valley MPs from the Kalenjin community were girding for battle — ready to contest inclusion in the agenda of the Mau issue and the election violence local tribunal. They argue that a party meeting should not discuss issues that are being handled by the government.

Signs that heated exchanges at the meeting were in the offing were clear as Heritage minister William ole Ntimama, who speaks for the Rift Valley Maasai bloc, vowed to lead the push for conservation of the Mau.

He warned the MPs against introducing tribal politics in the Mau issue.

In sharp contrast, Mr Odinga pitched a conciliatory note, arguing that differences triggered by his uncompromising position on the Mau had narrowed.

Through his spokesman Dennis Onyango, the PM was categorical that he would not use the meeting to read the Riot Act to the MPs who have been vocal against the planned Mau evictions.

“It is no longer a question of whether people should leave Mau or not, but a question of how to remove them and where to take them,” said Mr Onyango.

The Mau eviction programme and efforts to set up the local tribunal on post-election violence has created a rift between the Mr Odinga and a group of Rift Valley MPs led by Agriculture minister William Ruto.

Unrelenting stand

Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch said issues that had divided the PM and the MPs were minor and would be sorted out during the meeting.

The Rift Valley MPs have shunned the PM’s recent two visits to their region and threatened to withdraw their political support following his unrelenting stand on the Mau evictions.

Since his second visit to Rift Valley, the PM has sought to reconcile with the MPs.

Early last month, the MPs side-stepped him and met President Kibaki at Harambee House to seek a softer landing for the settlers in the country’s main water tower. They want the squatters compensated before the evictions.

On Monday assistant minister Charles Keter and Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny maintained hardline stance on Mau evictions and the local tribunal.

Belgut’s Mr Keter said they were to hold a meeting on Monday evening at the International Bible School to forge a common stand before Tuesday’s meeting at Orange House.

But Nominated MP Musa Sirma, who has sided with Mr Odinga, said he had not been invited.

“I’ve heard that they are meeting to plot strategies as they always do whenever we have a Parliamentary Group meeting. Of course they never invite me since I parted ways with them. I also understand they never invite (Cabinet ministers) Henry Kosgey and even Sally (Kosgei),” he said.

Mr Keter said the MPs would push for compensation of settlers facing eviction from the Mau. He declared their opposition to creation of the local tribunal.

“On the issues at hand — the Mau and the local tribunal — Rift Valley MPs have and will not shift their position,” he said.

But Mr Ntimama warned: “If they (MPs) try to resist plans to have people move out of the Mau, they will be digging their own graves because the rest of the country is united on this matter,” he said.

“We’ll counter their plans both at the PG and in Parliament,” the minister said.

Mr Kutuny, a key Ruto ally, questioned why the Mau evictions and the tribunal were listed on the agenda of party issues.

“ODM cannot purport to discuss the Mau issue because our meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) is not a government session. The Mau issue is being dealt with by the government and it should remain like that.”