Why ODM backed review talks

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday had a tough time convincing ODM legislators to attend Wednesday’s consensus retreat at the Kenya Institute of Administration, Kabete.

Sources at the party’s National Executive Committee cum Parliamentary Group meeting at Orange House said the vast majority of those in attendance cautioned against ODM attending the retreat on grounds that those behind it harboured sinister motives.

Consensus

Agriculture minister William Ruto, who is at odds with the PM and supports the consensus initiative, was absent.

The meeting, convened to lay strategies for approaching the debate on the draft constitution once it is initiated in Parliament, dragged on for hours as the party’s MPs and national officials debated the merits and demerits of attending today’s retreat.

At the end, after a lot of persuasion from Mr Odinga, the MPs agreed to attend the forum.

Addressing journalists after the four-hour meeting, party national chairman Henry Kosgey announced that ODM legislators would support the motion to adjourn Parliament to allow MPs to attend the retreat.

“We have resolved that we will attend the retreat to build consensus on the draft constitution,” said the Industrialisation minister.

Opposition to the retreat, the Nation learnt, was fierce, with many speakers expressing fears that the party may be trapped in a conspiracy to mutilate the document if it allowed its MPs to take part.

Most of those who spoke, led by Lands minister James Orengo warned that their PNU counterparts could be looking for ways of derailing the constitution review.

Nominated MPs Millie Odhiambo and Rachael Shebesh reminded the meeting of the party’s position to pass the draft constitution in its current form.

Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto, who was leading calls for the party to support the adjournment motion to enable MPs attend the retreat, reminded Mr Odinga that he had welcomed the idea during a meeting with members of the parliamentary caucus seeking consensus.

By surprise

The fact that Mr Odinga had met members of the parliamentary caucus on Monday to discuss the planned adjournment motion and retreat appeared to catch most of those in attendance by surprise.

The PM is said to have pleaded with the party to support the adjournment motion.

Mr Odinga is said to have warned that ODM risked being portrayed as the party that was opposed to efforts to give Kenyans a new constitution.

The PM, however, asked the party MPs not to compromise the party’s position by allowing it to be mutilated.