David Ohito
29 April 2008
Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga's first task as a supervisor, at which he invited Cabinet ministers, Permanent Secretaries and senior civil servants at his Treasury office, ignited the powder keg of divided loyalties, The Standard has learnt.
Last night US ambassador, Mr Michael Ranneberger, described the meeting as "absolutely necessary", saying he would today meet President Kibaki as part of his routine and regular meetings with the two leaders to monitor the progress of the Grand Coalition Government.
It also emerged that an apparent open leaning by the US towards the PM at the meeting, which took place last week on the eve of the Eldoret peace rally, angered some Party of National Unity (PNU) Cabinet ministers and could have helped feed the unraveling protocol tussles between Raila and Vice-President, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka.
Word that the US Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice had extended an invitation to the PM and a Kenyan delegation to travel to the US only helped fuel suspicion and mistrust by PNU.
On Monday, a section of PNU leaders accused the PM of being "babied" by the US and for receiving too much donor attention in his new role as supervisor in the new Cabinet.
But ODM too called a press conference at its headquarters and continued stoking the embers of the controversy over the pecking order saga, which it sees as a conspiracy to undermine the PM.
Seen as the genesis of the supremacy wars that date back to a statement last month by Mr Francis Muthaura, the head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, where he endeavoured to explain "Government structure", the PM's role is causing disquiet within PNU circles.
"How can Raila summon us to a meeting with a junior officer? For us the most important ambassadors are those of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the UK. The US comes much lower in the pecking order," Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Moses Wetangula, told The Standard at the weekend.
The 'junior officer', who seemingly infuriated Wetangula was Ranneberger, who was at the Treasury on Raila's invitation.
It may have come as no surprise, therefore, that most PNU ministers did not turn up at the Treasury meeting. But a minister from the wing, who spoke to The Standard on condition of anonymity, said some of them felt "belittled by Raila's new supervisory role".
PNU ministers who attended the meeting included, Mr John Michuki (Environment), Mrs Beth Mugo (Public Health), Dr Naomi Shaaban (Special Programmes), and Dr Noah Wekesa (Forestry and Wildlife).
Finance Minister, Mr Amos Kimunya, was represented by his Assistant minister, Dr Oburu Oginga, and his PS, Mr Joseph Kinyua.
Several PSs were also at the meeting, which brought together 18 technical heads of various programmes funded by the US government.
On his part, Ranneberger said he was happy with the meeting that was attended by a number of ministers from both sides of the grand coalition.
While confirming the invitation to tour the US, Raila said: "The US has assured me Condi Rice will be hosting a delegation, which I shall lead to Washington DC."
"We shall proceed to Washington DC to further press for more aid and also promote Kenya by encouraging international investment and tourism. To this end the US ambassador will be working closely with the Ministry of Tourism and I shall ensure we redouble the investment promotion of country," said Raila in a statement obtained by The Standard.
Monday night, Ranneberger said of the invitation: "It is appropriate and important to invite the PM to Washington DC. All we want is to make the coalition government effective."
In the run-up to the naming of the coalition Cabinet Raila also received several high profile ministers from donor countries and hosted various ambassadors, a move seen by PNU as "offering him too much attention".
At the meeting Raila heaped praise on the US and told ministers and other Government officials present: "As special friend of Kenya and being the largest individual donor with programmes touching on virtually all ministries, it is important to review these programmes to address challenges and needs."
On its part, the US has stressed on real power sharing between the two partners in the coalition. It was also the first donor country to pay a courtesy call on the PM last week.
During the visit, the US gave ($500,000) Sh32.5 million to facilitate Raila's newly created office to enable it embark on its assignments immediately.
During the meeting, the PM appeared to have further frayed PNU nerves, when he reiterated that his office had the constitutional mandate to supervise and co-ordinate activities of the Government.
"It is critical that this important office has the capacity and resources to discharge effectively these duties in order to promote transparent, accountable and efficient Government to the people of Kenya," said Raila.
Immediately after Ranneberger and his delegation of 18 US experts left Treasury, Ireland's Foreign Minister, Mr Dermot Ahern, walked in and is said to have promised support from his country for the IDPs.
At the ODM press conference party secretary general Prof Anyang' Nyong'o said: "I must set the records straight and show them that ODM is not a junior coalition partner. Some feel that if Raila is named before Kalonzo then he enjoys undue mileage in the 2012 race, but either way Raila has constitutional authority vested in him." Nyong'o said that ODM would not be bullied by anybody. "As far we are concerned our party leader Raila Odinga who is the PM is an equal to President Kibaki and there is no way he will ever come below a Vice-President who doesn't have executive powers."
But those in PNU maintain that Kalonzo is the second in command.
"I'm personally very disappointed with the way leaders are portraying themselves in peace rallies. They should at least shelve their power interest to first address the matter at hand - the IDPs, who have been living in sub-human conditions," Cardinal John Njue, speaking in Nyeri Consolata Cathedral where an informal introduction of the new Archbishop Peter Kairu was conducted, stated.
"Kenyans know power was shared between Kibaki and Raila and its unfortunate for anyone to say the Vice-President now becomes more powerful than Raila," said Bishop Eliud Wabukala, the chairman of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). He urged President Kibaki to clear the protocol confusion and spare the country further embarrassment.
Industrialisation Assistant minister Mr Nderitu Mureithi and Ndaragwa MP Mr Jeremiah Kioni also said that the President was in a better position to end the debate, which if prolonged, they added, would affect the stability of the grand coalition.
But Lands minister, Mr James Orengo took a swipe at his counterparts Ms Martha Karua and Mr Mutula Kilonzo for issuing what he described as "misleading statements regarding the pecking orders".
"The National Accord which has been entrenched in the Constitution is clear that Kenya has a coalition government in place with two centres of power. My colleagues know this and it is unfair for them to insinuate otherwise," said Orengo.
Additional reporting by Bancy Wangui, Susan Anyangu and Beauttah Omanga
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