Raila Odinga claims Jubilee planning to cause chaos, blame it on CORD

By ERIC ABUGA, NAFTAL MAKORI and DENNIS ONYANGO FRANC

Friday, July 4th 2014

CORD Principals Hon. Raila Odinga, Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka and Sen. Moses Wetangula arrives for Consultative meeting at Gusii Stadium, Kisii County today. (PICTURES BY DENNIS KAVISU)

Kenya: Just two days to the deadline set by CORD for President Uhuru Kenyatta to accept national dialogue over key national matters, the opposition coalition talked of unspecified consequences.

And as the clock ticks toward Monday, there was little hope the two sides would reach consensus as Deputy President William Ruto stood his ground, saying the Government would not yield to CORD’s demands.

CORD leaders made a whirlwind tour of Nyanza, holding rallies in Kisii, Busia and Ugunja and vowed to press on with the Saba Saba rally on Monday. The coalition principal Raila Odinga spoke in parables to say time was running out, and to protest a decision by a judge that the CORD leaders would be held responsible if chaos erupted on Monday.

Raila said: “The clouds have darkened and the president must hurry and convene national dialogue before it starts raining.”

He maintained that CORD will not turn back in its quest for national dialogue on matters of corruption, IEBC, Government structure, insecurity and skewed appointment of public officials.

“We must sit down and talk. We have identified issues affecting this nation which must be addressed,” said Raila at Gusii Stadium where they addressed hundreds of supporters.

He claimed some people in Jubilee were planning chaos to then blame it on CORD. “They are planning to blame us on anything that may go wrong on Monday. They want to put Raila, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula to carry the cross of wrong people who may cause disharmony but we shall not accept,’’ stated Raila. He said the rally would be peaceful.

Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said talks must take place on Monday or Tuesday. “There are those who are asking that what will happen after the Saba Saba rally. I want to tell them that if Jubilee fails to allow dialogue on Monday, they will accept it on Tuesday,” said Kalonzo.

However, MPS affiliated to Kalonzo’s Wipe party did not attend. Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula and other leaders were present. Kalonzo said Kenya must learn from other countries like South Sudan where failure to dialogue had resulted in chaos.

In a function largely snubbed by MPs from Gusii region except Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire, the CORD leaders allayed fears of divisions in calls for dialogue. “You can see the three of us are here and that is symbolic that we are serious to change the ills in our country,” Raila said.

Majority of Gusii politicians led by Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka had expressed opposition to national dialogue calls and threats of mass action. Nyamira Senator Mong’are Okongo (Ford Kenya) also snubbed the event.

He told The Standard on Saturday that the Saba Saba rally was not in the best interest of the Gusii community and asked Raila to call it off.

As the two sides tussled, Inter Religious Council of Kenya called for prayers to be held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, from 8.30am today. The coalition principals claimed the courts were being used by the State to intimidate them by warning that the Jubilee coalition would be held responsible in the event of any violence at the Monday rally.

The CORD principals termed the planned weekend rallies in Kisumu and Machakos as a rehearsal for the Saba Saba rally to be held at Uhuru Park.

Mr Wetang’ula said the Jubilee government had reneged on all its promises to Kenyans and it was time for Kenyans to say enough is enough.

In Busia, hundreds of supporters turned up for the rally, where the CORD leaders reiterated their resolve to push for talks.