President Uhuru Kenyatta tells Cord to stop blame games

Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno (right) introduces his family to President Uhuru Kenyatta during the burial of the former's daughter Eflyne Achaye at Kangeso Village in Rongo Constituency in Migori County Saturday. [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA]

MIGORY COUNTY: President Uhuru Kenyatta Saturday made a triumphant entry in former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Nyanza back yard with calls on the opposition to stop blame games.

The President, who reiterated his stand to have dialogue with the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders at State House, said he would only welcome talks on issues affecting Kenyans and how to solve them, in a bid to take the nation forward.

Uhuru maintained his government was ready to work with CORD to address challenges facing the country, but maintained he would not yield to what he termed rhetoric and ultimatums.

“My door is open to those who want to contribute to the development of this country, but I will not allow people to advance their personal interests because we have a working government,” said Uhuru during the burial of Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno’s daughter, Eflene Achae, in Migori County. Hinting at his discomfort with CORD’s agenda, the President said he was not ready to talk with the opposition over political issues since they were irrelevant at the time.

The President, who visited the area for the first time since assuming power last year, was accompanied by Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and his Migori counterpart Zachary Obado alongside Awendo MP Jared Kopiyo and James Rege (Karachuonyo MP), Migori Senator Wilfred Machage and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed.

Luo Council of Elders Chairman Ker Riaga Ogallo waved the traditional Luo flywhisk (Orengo) as a sign that the community had welcomed the President in the region.

CUP OF TEA

“Politics is not enmity but competition. Kenyans will hold another election and they will decide. But for now, we should reduce politics and focus on development,” he reiterated.Saturday, Uhuru asked Raila who turned down his invitation to State House for a “cup of tea” to wait for 2017 General Election, saying the time for campaigns was gone.

“We do not want dialogue on elections. Divisive politics has bred ethnicity in this country and as a country we should work together for peace,” he added.

Uhuru who pledged to support Nyanza region on economic growth, once again maintained that he would not allow CORD to engage him on matters of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying they should direct their grievances to the appropriate constitutional bodies.

“We will hold a meeting with elders from this region so that they can bring on board the nature of development projects to be initiated,” he said.

Migori Senator Wilfred Machage addressed the President on the proposed national dialogue and distribution of national resources.

Dr Machage told the President to treat all communities in the country equally when it comes to distributing national wealth.

He urged the President to respect Raila even if only for his age and implored the President not to ignore his call for dialogue.

“If Raila refused a cup of tea, you should offer him water and considering his age and level of wisdom, you should give him attention and never ignore whatever he may be having for you,” Machage said.

The Rongo MP also sided with the opposition’s call on the President to allow for national dialogue.

BIG ISSUE

“Let them (CORD) come as they have always done and at the end of it all, the government is supposed to go on. It is a matter of sharing superior ideas and so this idea of dialogue should not be a big issue,” advised Otieno.

However, the MP cautioned those who were politicking around issues of security to stop doing so because this was a sensitive issue in any given country.

“When it’s a security matter, stop politics and instead bring ideas so that we work on it together until we have a solution,” he said.

ODM leaders from the region were conspicuously missing. Mr Otieno is a member of ODM but the perceived rivalry between him and Raila is suspected to have prompted the latter and his close allies to snub the event.

In March Otieno made it clear that he intends to form a political party, a party that would rival ODM in Nyanza region.

The announcement was made a few weeks after accusing Raila of exhibiting dictatorial tendencies.

“ODM is a political party in the CORD coalition and it is slowly performing pathetically as a result of the ideological differences it has. The only way the community can be saved from the tribulation is by joining another party,” said Otieno.

Migori Governor asked the President to put Migori County on the radar?of most insecure Counties after he said that the region was also at?risk of being invaded by terrorists

The funeral ceremony that was graced by three CORD governors and six?MPs from Nyanza, Garissa, Rift Valley and Western remained calm?throughout except for a little booing from the crowd of mourners on?some of the guests.?Washiali had to cut short his speech after he was heckled by mourners for attacking the CORD leader when he said Raila was sitting with former Mungiki chairman Maina Njenga.?Kidero and his Kisumu counterpart Jack Ranguma together with their host Okoth Obado preached peace in the country as they asked the president to work with the opposition to defend the interests of Kenyans.

Uhuru is expected back in Nyanza on Monday to drum up support for the Jubilee coalition in Nyamira and Kisii counties. He is set to hold a leaders meeting in Menyenya, Borabu constituency and roadside rallies at Kijauri and Keroka markets before heading to Kisii School for its 80th anniversary celebrations on Monday.  

The President is also expected to commission the construction of Kijauri-Manga Raitigo road.