Raila Odinga Faulted For Making Unreasonable Demands
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and its ally Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) have accused opposition leader Raila Odinga of rocking plans for bi-partisan talks by threatening a return to mass action.
UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala has said Mr Odinga’s demands for talks outside the framework of Parliament is meant to hold the President’s agreement to bi-partisan talks at ransom.
“Hon Raila Odinga, in his statement, has confirmed our worst fears that Maadamano, was in fact not genuine from the onset but a blatant thirst and hunger for power through the back door. In making these unreasonable demands, Mr Odinga has demonstrated his intention to hold the bipartisan Parliamentary process as suggested by the President at ransom,” Mr Malala said in a statement.
He challenged Mr Odinga to recognise that there is a legitimate government in Kenya delivering the promises made to the electorate and implementing its pre-election agenda.
“He should not mistake the President’s olive branch in this holy month as a sign of cowardice,” said the UDA official.
Mr Odinga yesterday spurned an offer by the Head of State to have the Opposition’s grievances addressed by a bi-partisan team in Parliament, instead calling for a process similar to the National Accord of 2008.
The talks were brokered between Mr Odinga and then President Mwai Kibaki to stem the violence that followed the announcement of presidential election results that declared the latter to have won re-election.
But Mr Malala insists that the formation of any body, not legally recognised by the constitution or statute law amounts to “living in utopia and broad daylight hallucination.”
“We want to categorically state that, we as a party, shall not accept any process that is outside the purview of the constitution or offends the law as established.”
Mr Ochieng’s MDG also maintained that parliament has the capacity to effectively tackle matters of public of interest raised by the opposition.
“MDG is thus perturbed by the demand by Azimo leader Mr. Raila Odinga for adoption of a process akin to the 2008 National Accord in resolving the issues at hand.”
“We flatly reject this outrageous demand. It’s baffling to see Azimio threatening fire and brimstone should Parliament be involved. This is ridiculous and a display of disdain Azimio leadership has for parliament,” read the MDG statement in part.
Going by their demand, therefore, Azimio has demonstrated beyond doubt that they’re totally uninterested in the issues affecting Kenyans as they claim but have hidden motives of joining government through illegal and unconstitutional means, the party said.
The party said that if Mr Odinga’s coalition is interested in dialogue, then they should be honest and stop sideshows.
By Justus Ochieng’
Source-https://nation.africa/
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