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Kenya: PM - My Top Agenda is to Unite Citizens
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The Nation (Nairobi)
11 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Nairobi
Prime Minister Raila Odinga' on Saturday said that his first agenda will be to unite Kenyans.
Mr Odinga, who is also the ODM leader, appealed to his supporters to be patient with him as he discharges his new duties in the grand coalition government led by President Kibaki.
The rally was the first in Kisumu since Mr Odinga, who is the Langata MP, was sworn-in as PM last month. The PM caused laughter when he reminded the crowd that all the 42 Cabinet ministers were "now under me and I am in charge of all Government operations using my executive powers." Mr Odinga, who was flanked by more than 10 Cabinet ministers, said his job would be to ensure that the 42 ministers and 54 assistant ministers deliver services to the public.
The rally also came a day after President Kibaki and Mr Odinga addressed a 'bonding" seminar for ministers, assistant ministers and permanent secretaries in Nairobi and vowed to put their political differences aside for the good of the country. "Let bygones be bygones.
We have agreed to share power in the coalition government and there is no need for hatred or hostility," the MP said. But a suggestion by the PM that the locals welcome the coalition government did not go down well with a section of the surging crowd. They protested when Mr Odinga asked: "I now want to bring the coalition Government of PNU and ODM to Kisumu, do you agree?"
It was at that point that the PM reminded his supporters that there was a President and a Premier in office, saying his agenda would be to unite Kenyans of all walks of life regardless of their backgrounds. But the crowd demanded that he address the controversial issue of police harassment and killing of some of the ODM supporters during the post-election violence. The PM sought to assure them that the matter would be handled by Internal security minister George Saitoti Mr Orwa Ojodeh, the assistant minister.
Mr Odinga called Mr Ojodeh to the podium, but was told that the assistant minister had just left.
Said Mr Odinga: "I want to unite all Kenyans after the post election violence which claimed many innocent lives. We have decided to share the Government 50-50, and are now ready to start implementing some of our election pledges."
The PM singled out some of the ODM MPs who are in the Cabinet, saying he would ensure that they deliver services to the public.
They included Mr William Ruto (Agriculture), Mrs Charity Ngilu (Water and Irrigation), Mr James Orengo (Lands), Mr Otieno Kajwang (Immigration and Registration of Persons) and Mr Joseph Nyagah (Co-operatives).
Among the foreign guests rally was the Tanzanian livestock minister, Mr John Magufulu, who was cheered for saying his country sympathised with Kenyans during the post elections violence.
But his statement that Uganda was also concerned as a member of the East African Community was greeted with jeers. Mr Ruto ran into trouble with the crowd earlier when he mentioned President Kibaki and PNU in his speech. Mr Ruto demanded that all the youths arrested in connection with the violence in Rift Valley be released unconditionally in the spirit of reconciliation.
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Over 1,200 people were killed and 350,000 were displaced during the chaos over the disputed presidential polls between President Kibaki and the PM.
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