Raila and Ruto reaffirm warm relations

Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Cabinet minister William Ruto on Tuesday dropped their hardline positions on the Mau evictions and sought to unite ODM members of Parliament.

After four hours of cautious talk, punctuated by some sharp tongue-lashing, the MPs to emerged from the meeting declaring that their differences had been resolved.

Apart from normal housekeeping issues, other items on the agenda of the Parliamentary Group-cum executive council officials meeting, which included efforts to establish a local tribunal to try the post election chaos suspects, were postponed.

Party deputy chief whip Magerer Langat said after the meeting: “We have resolved our differences.”

Medical Services minister Anyang’ Nyong’o, the party’s secretary-general, said: “Ruto and Raila have a good relationship, Mr Odinga as party leader and Mr Ruto and Musalia Mudavadi as deputies,” he said.

The MPs and NEC officials went to the meeting against a backdrop of sustained exchanges between Rift Valley Kalenjin MPs and their Luo Nyanza counterparts on the thorny issues of Mau evictions, unity in the party and the efforts to establish the local tribunal.

Party unity

Sources at Tuesday’s meeting said Mr Odinga opened the talks on a conciliatory note, appealing for unity.

The PM, it was understood, said ODM must remain united for it to capture power.

Mr Odinga said he had nothing personal against any MP, including the statements that he has made during public rallies in Rift Valley.

“In the course of doing those things, I may have wronged some people. I want it known that it was not intended,” Mr Odinga reportedly said.

The PM said all MPs had agreed that Mau settlers be evicted in a humane manner. He referred to ODM campaign manifesto, which he said was more categorical on conservation.

Mr Ruto said the two sides were agreed on the need to conserve water towers. He said his strong position on the Mau was informed by the brutal evictions of 2005 and urged the PM to take charge and ensure no force was used in evictions.

Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno spoke on behalf of Luo Nyanza MPs, and appealed for unity. Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto read the MPs memorandum, specifying their conditions on the evictions.

However, Heritage minister William ole Ntimama accused Rift Valley MPs of buying time and demanded immediate eviction of the Mau settlers. Mr Ntimama demanded withdrawal of threats of bloodshed, saying Maasai were not cowards.

“When you talk of bloodshed, who are you threatening? It is the Maasai. We will respond. We are not cowards and we have never been,” he said.

“When you say you will shed blood, it does not refer to water flowing from your veins. It is blood of other people. You are targeting the Maasai,” he added.

Marakwet MP Boaz Kaino warned against use of threats.

Energy assistant minister Charles Keter explained the predicament of Rift Valley MPs, saying that those who supported eviction from Mau, faced hostility at home.

But Mr Ntimama shot back saying that when he supported continuous occupation of the Mau, the Maasai suffer and it becomes his burden.

Nominated MP Musa Sirma said the Mau Forest degradation had become a global concern and people should be moved.

However, he proposed that those whose food crops were yet to mature be given time until after the harvest, before evictions.