Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga Sunday refrained from campaigning openly for the ODM candidate in the Wajir North parliamentary by-election.

Mr Odinga addressed the public at the homecoming party for Wajir East MP and minister for Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands, Mohamed Elmi.

This was Mr Odinga's first visit to the area since his appointment.

Said Mr Odinga: "I will not use this occasion to campaign for the party. I am a Prime Minister and that is why you can see the DC, police officers and a red carpet before me.

"You can also see that Mr Asman Kamama and Mr Adan Keynan of PNU have accompanied us," he added.

Development focus

Agriculture minister, William Ruto and Livestock assistant minister, Aden Duale were also present.

Others were Kisumu Town MP, Shakeel Shabir and ODM nominated MPs Sophia Abdinoor and Rachel Shebesh.

However, the ODM team, led by Mr Elmi, asked residents to support Mr Mohammed Gabow, the party's candidate in the Wajir North by-election.

Mr Gabow and Mr Abdullahi Ali of Kanu tied in last year's General Election.

In his speech, Mr Odinga focused more on the development of the region.

He told the gathering that the new ministry headed by Mr Elmi was created to transform the lives of the communities in the area.

The PM said there are many untapped resources in the region, which if exploited, will change the face of the entire region.

The PM said that this will be done through the new ministry, which, he added, has been moved to serve under his office.

Elsewhere, MPs proposing the formation of a grand opposition maintained their stand yesterday saying they would push their agenda until they succeed.

Ten MPs, speaking in Budalang'i, asked their colleagues who are opposed to the campaign to be open-minded.

The MPs, mainly from ODM, said they would soon unveil a "Marshal Plan" for a new constitution that would see formation of an Official Opposition, in what was dubbed the "Budalang'i declaration".

Grand opposition

They were hosted by area MP Ababu Namwamba, who is leading calls for formation of a grand opposition.

"Due to procrastination and lack of commitment to start a new constitutional review process, we are going to launch the roadmap for a new constitution," said Saboti MP, Eugene Wamalwa, of PNU who read the declaration.

Mr Namwamba said there was no rift between him and ODM leader Raila Odinga, and that they were both expressing what they believed in.

"Raila is a democrat and so am I, and democrats appreciate that it is never possible to agree on everything, so it is between the two of us," said Mr Namwamba.

Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo of ODM-K said the Ninth Parliament had many MPs who disagreed with positions of the parties that sponsored them to Parliament yet they were not forced to resign.

Fisheries minister Paul Otuoma said there was no harm in the opposition clamour, but warned proponents to think through it.

At the Coast, seven MPs vowed to push for the formation of a grand opposition to tame looting of public resources and emergence of new financial scams.

Led by the Government's deputy chief whip, Mr Johnson Muthama, the MPs said public funds and resources will be mismanaged if there is no official opposition to ensure accountability.