Cord’s push to nominate new MPs fails

Cord coalition leaders walk along Harambee Avenue on March 13 to a meeting at Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi. Coalition’s plan to change lists of nominated MPs has flopped. Photo/FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, March 24  2013 at  00:30

IN SUMMARY

• We can only listen to them if they provide us with evidence that the nominated MP is not willing to take up the position.” IEBC

The electoral commission has turned down a request by Cord affiliate parties to change the list of nominated MPs in order to accommodate its top leaders.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has written back to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Wiper Democratic Movement and Ford Kenya explaining that the lists of nominated MPs and senators could not be altered after the closure date.

The three parties had jointly written to the IEBC on March 15 requesting that they be allowed to re-open and “rectify” their lists of nominees to Parliament, Senate and county assemblies.

The move could have opened the window for the possible nomination of top ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya leaders such as Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka should the Supreme Court case they have filed against the declaration of Uhuru Kenyatta as the presidential election winner fail. But the coalition was quick to say that their move was not aimed at cushioning the two leaders.

Mr Odinga has promised to abide by the ruling of the highest court in the land which means that should he lose the case, he would be out of active political office.

Other top guns in the Cord leadership who failed to win elective office and who may have benefited from an altered list include ODM national chairman Henry Kosgey, vice-chairpersons Ramadhan Kajembe and Bishop Margaret Wanjiru and Wiper vice-chairman Gideon Ndambuki.

The law requires that the names of those the parties intend to nominate be submitted to IEBC before the General Election.

“Following the discussions that we have had with you on the issue of party nominations to the Senate, National Assembly and county assemblies, we would like to make the following proposals and seek your approval for the same: That the CORD nominates the leadership of parties partners in the coalition to Parliament should the need arise,” reads the letter jointly signed by ODM secretary-general and Kisumu Senator-elect Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, Wiper secretary-general and Makueni Senator-elect Mutula Kilonzo and Ford Kenya secretary-general and Tongareni MP-elect Eseli Simiyu.

On Saturday, Dr Simiyu confirmed that they had written to the electoral body expressing their intention of altering the party lists to accommodate top leaders.

He, however, denied that the move was aimed at accommodating Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka.

“We have never contemplated nominating Raila and Kalonzo; we are looking at the other cadres of party leadership left out during the nominations,” Dr Simiyu noted.

But he admitted that national officials such as Mr Kosgey could have benefited from the move.

“IEBC has, however, turned down the request. They have told us that the party lists are closed,” he said.

A top IEBC official who declined to be named because of the current court case between the commission and Cord following the disputed presidential election confirmed that they had rejected the request as it was done after the party lists were closed.

“We can only listen to them if they provide us with evidence that the nominated MP is not willing to take up the position. When they do that, we will follow the order of names on the party list. You cannot come and tell us that I quarrelled with so and so yesterday, so remove his name and replace it with so and so; we cannot do that,” he added.

Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka are awaiting the outcome of the petition Cord has lodged at the Supreme Court challenging the IEBC’s declaration of Jubilee presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto as president-elect and deputy president-elect.

Besides Kosgey, Dr Wanjiru and Mr Kajembe, other top ODM leaders who find themselves jobless after the March 4 elections include the head of the party’s elections board Franklin Bett, outgoing Cabinet ministers Musa Sirma, Dr Sally Kosgei and Prof Margaret Kumar.

Top Wiper leaders who find themselves in the cold include former Kibwezi MP Prof Philip Kaloki and former nominated MP Mohammed Affey while from Ford Kenya, outgoing Forestry minister Dr Noah Wekesa has vowed to file a petition challenging the election of former Permanent Secretary Patrick Khaemba as Trans Nzoia governorThe ODM list of nominated MPs includes Mr Odinga’s brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, Isaac Mwaura and Zulekha Hassan Juma.

Wiper has Bishop Robert Mutemi Mutua while Ford Kenya nominated Patrick Wangamati.

In the Senate, ODM has Janet Ongera, Elizabeth Ongoro, Halima Abdille Mohamud and Dr Agnes Nzani. It has nominated Ms Kanainza Nyongesa Daisy and Harold Kimunge Kipchumba to represent the youth and the disabled in the Senate.

Catherine Mukite Nobwola and Judith Achieng Sijeny will represent Ford Kenya and Wiper in the Senate.

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