Western leaders accuse Jubilee of ethnic bias

Western Kenya politicians Saturday accused the Jubilee administration of sidelining the region in government appointments.

Speaking in the presence of Deputy President William Ruto in Lugari, Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi, New Ford Kenya head Eugene Wamalwa and former Speaker Kenneth Marende urged the Jubilee administration to ensure every ethnic group is represented in government.

They said the disunity witnessed in the country is because of Jubilee Government’s failure to accommodate more communities in government.

“All Kenyans must be given an opportunity to take part in the governance of the country irrespective of whether they voted for the government or not,” said Mr Mudavadi at Lumakanda Grounds in Lugari district during the burial of Mama Selina Jirongo, mother of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.

He said the issue of “inclusivity” in government should be seriously addressed by the Jubilee Government.

Mr Mudavadi said the burden of ensuring that Kenyans are united rests with the government. He gave an example of appointment of ambassadors and principal secretaries where, he said, Central Kenya and Rift Valley regions took the lion’s share.

Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary-general Francis Atwoli claimed that he was being fought by the United Republican Party (URP) wing of the Jubilee administration, because he had exposed a scheme to loot the workers’ pension fund.

“I expected the Deputy President to come to my rescue in this matter, but he has decided to remain silent,” he said.
“I want to tell Mr Ruto not to be a lone ranger in politics. Let him work with other leaders to unite the country,” he said.

But Mr Ruto defended the government’s record saying although it had faced challenges in the beginning, it was determined to unite Kenyans and to ensure every corner of the country develops. 
“There are no two governments within Jubilee. We only have one government and one President. And, as a government, we are determined to deliver all the promises we made,” he said.

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua said Kenyans should stop agitating for their own to be in government as one way of addressing ethnicity. She said what Kenyans should strive for are selfless leaders who will serve them without discriminating against any community.

On calls for a referendum made by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord), Mr Mudavadi said the push is ill-timed and could force the government to increase taxes to fund the exercise.

“The time for elections is over, and it is wrong for Kenyans to be permanently in an election mode at the expense of other crucial issues,” he said.