ODM’s SG Edwin Sifuna dismiss handshake wrangles

Sifuna who was reacting to the recent acrimony that ensued between the two leading political parties over sharing of committee positions left vacant by allies of Deputy President William Ruto who were dewhipped maintained the two outfits were still in good terms.

In an interview with Spice FM on Thursday, July 9, the SG said the handshake deal between Uhuru and Raila was not pegged on the desire to share Cabinet and committee slots but was strictly founded on the nine-point agenda outlined in the Building Bridges Initiative.

This handshake was never about us getting positions, so this handshake is not going to collapse because of committee chairmanship.

We have been in this handshake and from the beginning we have taken our time very strenuously to explain that it was not about ODM getting into the cabinet, none of us is in the cabinet two and half years down the line.

Sifuna said ODM was committed to the course of ensuring the handshake would achieve its intended purpose and exuded confidence their Jubilee counterparts also were well-meaning.

The ODM spokesman said members of ODM were aware of what the handshake and the BBI report was all about and those questioning the political ties between the two outfit had “refused to understand”.

If this handshake is going to collapse it is never going to be about positions, it is going to about departure from the fundamental principals and policies on the nine points we agreed upon that we were going to address with the president,” he said.

Reports of a looming fallout between ODM and Jubilee ensued last week after members of the two outfits failed to agree on how they were going to share committee positions.

Both parties were eyeing the leadership of justice and legal affairs committee, committee on delegated legislation and the budget and appropriation committee.

In the list that sparked acrimony, Jubilee retained leadership of above positions and only provided membership slots for ODM.

The Orange party was further aggrieved by Jubilee’s move to retain some of Ruto’s allies in key committees even after being axed.

Suba South MP John Mbadi who doubles up as ODM chairman argued that absorbing MPs allied to the DP in critical committees such as legal affairs and delegated committees was akin to gambling with the passage of the (BBI) report which they were opposed to.

National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya who had presented the list vowed not to change “even a full stop”, saying the document had the blessings of the president.

The two factions, however, reached a truce on Tuesday, July 7, following a five-hour-long meeting between Kimunya and minority chief whip Junet Mohamed.

“Held a meeting with Majority Leader Hon. Amos Kimunya over House Committees. We have mutually agreed on the list, to be tabled when the House resumes next week,” said Junet via his Twitter handle,” Junet tweeted after the meeting.