NAIROBI, KENYA: CORD leader Raila Odinga has accused Deputy President William Ruto of blocking President Uhuru Kenyatta from reaching out to and working with the Opposition, adding that the President means well for Kenya. Raila made the scathing attack on a late night television show on Tuesday but Ruto Wednesday took the fight to Railas backyard in Kisumu where he addressed a public forum to mark Katiba Day, the fourth anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution. He claimed the former Premier is leading a campaign to mutilate the countrys supreme law. Speaking hours after President Kenyatta said he had no problem working with him, Raila accused a group of hardliners in Jubilee led by Ruto of working overtime to block any meaningful dialogue between the Government and the Opposition. The CORD leader spoke hours after attending the burial of former Cabinet minister Njoroge Mungai, during which the Head of State surprised many by saying he was ready to work with Raila to develop Kenya. MAJOR DRAWBACKS But speaking in Mombasa Wednesday, Uhuru asked Raila not to incite people against leaders opposed to CORDs referendum campaign. See also: President Uhuru warns Raila against incitement When asked if he shared Uhurus sentiments, Raila said: What he (Uhuru) said is not new. You remember when I came back from the US in May, I offered an olive branch when I said the way forward is dialogue and the following day, on Madaraka Day to be specific, he (Uhuru) responded and said he was ready for dialogue. So I said hurrah! But then a day later the situation changed. He means very well, but he leads a Government with hardliners who are a major drawback. I am not even sure if he is going to control those hawks. Raila said the hawks know themselves. He added: Some of them call us watu wa vitendawili (people of parables). Some of them are people who contradict themselves. When we were fighting for the Constitution, they were raising a red flag. When asked if one of the hawks he was referring to was Ruto, Raila said he was surprised when the Deputy President wrote a piece in a local daily criticising the virtues of the Constitution that he said would be a disaster four years ago. Wednesday, Ruto accused Raila of plotting to mutilate the Constitution to fit his personal interests, adding that the CORD leader and his allies rejected issues that were raised before the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010. What destroyed the Independence Constitution was parochial, partisan and political expedience carried out without due consideration. The same people calling for a referendum admitted to Kenyans that the document had gaps and that the gaps would be filled progressively. Why referendum now? Ruto asked.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 05:25:48 +0000
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