Raila attacks Kibaki’s ‘primitive’ leadership style

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday continued his attack on President Kibaki’s governing style, describing it as Jua Kali (informal) and “primitive”.

Expressing disappointment at President Kibaki’s creation of new districts, Mr Odinga said only Parliament had authority to do so.

“President Kibaki is behaving in the wrong way. The districts are too many to an extent that district commissioners board matatus to attend functions.

“According to the Constitution, the President does not have powers to create districts. I have not been consulted. Some Kenyans have not even asked for them,” he said.

“Where is the need for a boundary commission when somebody is creating the districts single-handedly?” he asked.

“Why is the President usurping the powers of Parliament? There should be rule of law. The President is running the government in a Jua Kali and primitive way,” said Mr Odinga.

Mr Odinga was addressing the media at the Mombasa Beach Hotel after launching a national oceans and fisheries policy. On Sunday he accused President Kibaki of contradicting him on major government decisions.

Mr Odinga urged President Kibaki to seek and respect the opinion of coalition partners before issuing any policy directive on matters pertaining to the governance of Kenya.

He said the President should consult him before making public government’s stance on issues that require consensus and full approval of the coalitions.

“I am the Prime Minister and President Kibaki should be courteous enough to consult me as his partner in this coalition ... it makes me feel embarrassed before the public when he contradicts or makes decisions of national importance without my knowledge.”

Decisive action

The PM said majority of Kenyans were fast running out of patience with the constant wrangling and inconsistencies in the management of the country due to the widening polarity among ministers.

Mr Odinga gave the government one year to embrace reforms or else ODM “would take a decisive action”. The PM tore through provincial commissioner Ernest Munyi for not attending the function.

“How could the PC not attend? It shows clearly that the President told him not to come here, and not the Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura.

“Mr Muthaura is a mere PS so I cannot blame him. I share equal power with the President. I wonder why he disrespects me. There were no toilet facilities and even a red carpet to honour me,” he said.

Mr Odinga said the meeting at Kilaguni Lodge fell apart because President Kibaki’s team refused to discuss issues pertaining to the management of the Grand Coalition.

He said the agenda of the meeting was to focus on the achievements and the shortcomings of the coalition. He said there was too much monopoly on the President’s side, with one-sided public appointments.

Solved amicably

The PM at the same time hit out at Government spokesman Alfred Mutua saying he was fond of giving press statements on government matters without consulting the authorities.

On Migingo Island, the PM reiterated that the island belonged to Kenya but said the dispute would be solved amicably. He, however, said the island belongs to Kenya and failed to understand why Uganda was after the island despite the fact that together with Tanzania they own more than 90 per cent of the Lake Victoria.

“Why should we fight because of fish? There is no need of going to war,” he said.