Coalition partners in row over travel costs for 40 MPs

The question of who paid for the MPs who travelled to The Hague in support of the post-election violence suspects has opened a new battlefront between ODM and PNU.

ODM leaders claim that the 40-plus MPs who accompanied the Ocampo Six used public funds to defray the cost of their travel and accommodation.

But even as the coalition rivals dig in for battle, interviews by the Sunday Nation with some of those who travelled indicate that two of the suspects, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto, as well as Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, covered a good part of the expenses.

His rivals

ODM politicians close to Prime Minister Raila Odinga are accusing the government of funding the trip in solidarity with the PM’s rivals, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto.

Jakoyo Midiwo, the party’s chief whip, has even asked the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate where the funds came from.

“There are MPs who left this country using public coffers and must pay that money back to the people. They must give us that money so that we can use it to resettle the IDPs. That is arrogance, theft and plunder,” he said in Parliament.

“I want to encourage the director and the institution of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure that MPs who went to The Hague explain to Kenyans whether they used public funds or not. I am not talking about the Ocampo Six. We have no problem with that.”

Another member of the party has lined up a question on the matter demanding that the ministry of Finance explain to Parliament whether the government paid the travel expenses of the MPs.

Beach party

Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu also wants the government to explain to the House who paid for a beach party hosted for the MPs and their supporters by Kenya’s envoy to The Netherlands, Prof Ruthie Rono, at the conclusion of the court appearances.

In his inquiry, Mr Chanzu wanted to know whether the money spent between April 6 and 10 came from the Treasury.

But most of the MPs who travelled to The Hague have dismissed the claims, saying they footed all their bills.

The highest-end return economy ticket to Amsterdam costs Sh148,000; most MPs say they paid Sh60,000 on accommodation for three days.

Mr Musyoka’s spokesman Kaplich Barsito confirmed that the VP contributed to the travel expenses, but the details he offered were sketchy.

“The Vice-President acted in solidarity with our brothers even as we continue with efforts to ensure that the cases are handled at home,” he said, declining further comment.

The travel expenses were pooled in a basket dubbed “Hague Kitty”.

Dozens of the travelling MPs were seen at a bank near Parliament Buildings where they each exchanged Sh100,000, which sources indicated came from the kitty, for euros.

Assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri says he paid for his own ticket but cancelled the trip to prepare the homecoming party.

“I had paid everything from my own pocket, and I believe that is what my colleagues did,” he told the Sunday Nation.

In the run-up to the trip, a number of the MPs were involved in highly charged prayer rallies. ODM nominated MP Rachel Shebesh alleged that some of her colleagues were paid to attend the rallies.

“They want to follow some leaders, and I am told some are paid as much as Sh20,000 to attend rallies. Someone wants to use their energy and communication skills.”

Preaching peace

On their return last Monday, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, who are accused of sponsoring the 2008 violence, said they would crisscross the country preaching peace and reconciliation and pushing for the return of displaced families.

“We are speaking from deep within our hearts,” Mr Ruto said.

Their rivals have challenged them to translate this rhetoric into genuine peace at the grassroots, especially in the violence-hit Rift Valley.

Hundreds of victims who were uprooted from their farms and businesses are still too nervous to return because of silent hostilities. Some of them are still stuck in what the government calls “satellite camps” — makeshift structures near their farms.

Others live in rented houses in trading centres near their former homes. From there they tend to their farms but have not set up permanent homes, citing insecurity.

It is hoped that the Kenyatta-Ruto political alliance will see an end to the hostilities between their communities. However, the continued existence of IDPs living in deplorable conditions has raised questions about how genuine are the alliance and camaraderie between the two leaders.

And now the ODM wing allied to Mr Odinga has sponsored a motion through Malindi MP Gideon Mung’aro that takes the two to task. The motion seeks parliamentary endorsement for the government to resettle all the victims in their “original homes, farms and businesses”.

The motion reads in part: “Acknowledging with appreciation recent efforts by various leaders to foster national peace, unity and reconciliation, including through public forums and prayer meetings, appreciating especially assurances by the said leaders that through their unity and efforts communities in hitherto troubled areas have now been reconciled and ready to co-exist in peace and harmony, this House urges the government to facilitate the immediate return of all internally displaced persons to their original homes, farms and business premises from which they were displaced during the post-election violence.”

Heritage minister William ole Ntimama, the ODM MP for Narok North, was the first to ask why victims of the violence could not be helped to return to their homes in the light of the latest developments on the political scene.

He triggered debate recently in Parliament by asking why the “new-found friendship and brotherhood” between Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, and which has President Kibaki’s blessings, was yet to bear fruit at the grassroots.

“If we were honest enough and had no hypocrisy, if people were allowed to return to their shambas, dukas, hotels and garages, we would have dealt with 80 per cent of IDPs,” he said.