Odhiambo Orlale
17 January 2008
Nairobi — ODM Wednesday described the election of Mr Kenneth Marende as House Speaker as a turning point in Kenya's history.
Party leaders maintained that their parliamentary and presidential victory in the controversial General Election had swept away the cynicism that had marked elective politics in Kenya.
"The election of Mr Marende and Mr Farah Mohammed as deputy Speaker was a momentous victory for the people of Kenya, and the Parliament they chose," ODM leader Raila Odinga said.
Mr Marende's victory touched off spontaneous celebrations in several parts of Mombasa, Nairobi, Western and Nyanza provinces.
Live broadcast
Some city patrons who had been following the live broadcast on TV, broke into ululation when the vote ended.
There were also celebrations in city estates.
In Mombasa, there was honking, clapping and ululation in Kisauni, Shimanzi and Likoni, where police sent out reinforcements fearing a repeat of the violence which engulfed the area after the disputed presidential election.
Celebrations also broke out in major towns of Nyanza and Western provinces.
ODM followers in Kisumu, Kakamega, Migori and Busia towns broke into song and dance chanting party slogans, despite a heavy downpour.
Mr Odinga praised the 99 party MPs and their six supporters from other parties for putting the interest of the country before their personal ones. He noted that against all odds, all party MPs, their three Narc colleagues and a few like-minded members of the House stayed steadfast and honoured the pledges made to their electorate to put the duty of the nation and democracy above all else.
The ODM leader regretted that money and power had always held sway, and too many honourable members had with ease shifted camps and broken solemn pledges as long as the price they named was met by those in power.
"Everything changed yesterday (Tuesday), and ODM will ensure that truth and integrity direct political discourse from now on in Kenya," Mr Odinga told an international press conference at Orange House in Nairobi before he left for the banned Uhuru Park rally.
He was flanked by Pentagon members Musalia Mudavadi, Charity Ngilu, William Ruto, Najib Balala and Joseph Nyaga. Also present were more than 30 party MPs.
In the statement read by Mr Odinga, the party said: "The vote yesterday was also a powerful vindication for the people of Kenya, who only 18 days ago saw the presidency snatched from their grasp through the most blatant rigging ever seen in a democratic country."
Mr Odinga said the victory would give every Kenyan hope that it is the rule of law and of democracy, which would determine the future course of history.
Radio stations
During the polls covered live by major television and radio stations, the Emuhaya MP, nominated by ODM, floored outgoing Speaker Francis ole Kaparo by garnering 105 votes to the latter's 101.
ODM also won the deputy Speaker's post through Lagdera MP Farah Mohammed, who defeated Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara, who was backed by PNU, with 110 votes against 94.
On Wednesday, Mr Odinga claimed that "money was poured like rain" in the august House during the lobbying for the holder of the coveted seat on Tuesday afternoon.
At the same time, the ODM leader assured Kenyans that through Parliament, through peaceful people power and through the international mediation, to which they were committed, the party would ensure that "the terrible wrong" done to them on December 27, would not be allowed to stand.
Mr Odinga, who believes he won the presidential race, urged Kenyans to ensure that a political way was quickly found to return the country to what he described as "legitimate rule."
Elsewhere, Law Society of Kenya chairman Okongo O'Mogeni asked the new Speaker to firmly enforce the rules of the House without bias.
Additional report by Caroline Wafula
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE A MEMBER