ODM dares rivals to censure Speaker

The Orange Democratic Movement on Sunday dared those seeking to censure the House Speaker to make good their threat.

The party top brass also challenged their rivals during a charged rally at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa to go ahead and pass a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.

ODM’s Parliamentary Group secretary and MP for Budalang’i Ababu Namwamba set the tone for the meeting, declaring to a mammoth crowd the party was ready to counter the machinations to censure Speaker Kenneth Marende.

Mr Marende on Thursday rejected President Kibaki’s nominees for posts of Chief Justice, Attorney-General, Director of Public Prosecutions and Controller of Budget. (Read: Marende: Sorry, go back and try again)

The PNU-wing of the coalition alongside ODM rebel MPs led by Eldoret North MP William Ruto have also threatened to mobilise support to oust the PM through a vote of no confidence in Parliament. (Read: ODM rebels promise battle over Marende's ruling)

“Let them bring it on. We are ready for you (PNU). We will take you on!,” Mr Namwamba said to roars of approval from the crowd.

Leaders who spoke at the meeting concurred with him that the current wrangles in the coalition government were between reformists and non-reformists out to maintain impunity.

The Tononoka rally was the climax of Mr Odinga’s three-day tour of Coast Province that began on Friday. Kisauni MP Hassan Joho was the master of ceremonies at the well-attended rally.

Lands Minister James Orengo said the Speaker was in order in his ruling and he should not be vilified for discharging his mandate.

“Under the National Accord, between Raila and Kibaki no one is senior to the other. Therefore threats to remove Raila, cannot work. Raila has more MPs than President Kibaki in Parliament,” Mr Orengo added.

Fisheries Development Minister Amason Kingi accused PNU leaders of obsession with plans to oust Mr Odinga from power instead of paying attention to national matters.

The Premier accused those who had opposed the new Constitution as among those out to derail its implementation.

He said it was wrong for ODM to be accused of pushing for the prosecution of masterminds of post-election violence in the Hague, when the opposite was the case.

Mr Odinga said he was on record as having advocated the formation of a local tribunal to try the suspects but a group allied to some of the suspects opposed the same.

“We have not said that people go the Hague. Sometime back, we took a motion to Parliament for establishment of local tribunal as had been recommended by Judge Philip Wako, Mr Odinga told the rally.

He went on: “However, the group opposed this and demanded that the suspects be tried at the Hague. Deputy Prime Minister Moses Mudavadi said:

“We stand by Speaker Marende and by the PM. Nobody will buogo (intimidate) us.”