Why certain MPs fear referendum – Weekly Citizen

Agoi

Okoth

Parliament is split down the middle over calls to amend the constitution with some MPs seeing a sinister motive on calls to alter the system of government.

Even before the so-called Building Bridges Initiative tables its report, politicians have come out to make proposals on the structure of government the country should adopt, a move that is seen as selfserving and only aimed at creating offices for leading politicians who find themselves excluded from the ‘eating table’ after they lost in the last election.
The constitution provides for no role of opposition inside parliament. Leading calls to amend the constitution are key Nasa leaders who have remained in political cold for two elective terms.
The leaders led by Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula are secretly pushing to have ministers picked from parliament after first becoming MPs.
The leaders are scheming to have the proposal put as a referendum question as a condition for them to support the

Kositany

referendum.
The move is to give them an opportunity to bounce back into parliament and eventually in government using their political parties as their negotiating tools.
However, their schemes are opposed by William Ruto’s men now in full control of both houses and who feel threatened by attempts to alter the constitution and bring on board tribal leaders.
Ruto’s people have control of both the senate and national assembly courtesy of Jubilee party strength in both houses. To have control of the government agendas and in a bid to control Jubilee MPs in the house for his 2022 ambitions, Ruto ensured his key supporters landed lucrative and influential posts.
In the national assembly Ruto ensured that the majority leader slot was occupied by his ally Garissa Town MP Aden Duale. The speaker slot went to Justin Muturi who is close to Uhuru Kenyatta. Another Ruto ally Ben Washiali is the majority whip still at the same house.
In the senate, Ruto helped his right hand man in Bungoma county Ken Lusaka to land the speaker’s post.
Lusaka had lost his governor’s seat to Wycliffe Wamangati. Another Ruto ally Kipchumba Murkomen took the senate majority leader from Kindiki Kithure who was demoted to take deputy speaker’s post. Kindiki who is Tharaka Nithi senator has fallen out with Ruto and the DP is currently working with Governor Muthomi Njuki. Both Kindiki and Njuki do not see-to-eye and cannot eat from the same table.
The Ruto group fears that the referendum will dilute their powers and embolden political party leaders who have massive following from their communities.

Ruto

Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka who are the biggest political losers want to seize the opportunity to land back in parliament and government using their parties. The same applies to Mudavadi who is out of power just like Raila and Kalonzo.
Already, the MPs elected in constituencies where they represented for long are uncomfortable that the constitution change will likely displace them from active politics and have vehemently opposed the envisaged changes.
In Mwingi North, area MP Paul Nzengu is a worried man that Kalonzo will come and take away his seat without breaking a sweat. Kalonzo was the area MP for 25 years before he was barred by the current constitution when he became Raila’s running mate in 2013.

Kalonzo

In Kibra, the ground is shaky for area MP Ken Okoth who succeeded Raila.

Odinga

Raila is said to have set his eyes for the seat. In Sabatia, the area MP Alfred Agoi, although a Musalia ally, is a worried man that Musalia will come and clinch the seat from him the same with John Waluke of Sirisia who is Wetang’ula’s MP. Waluke was elected on a Jubilee ticket and is allied to William Ruto.
The amendment to the constitution drive, in order to create more offices, has is sweet music to a group of governors now serving their final terms. The governors are plotting to contest as MPs and later land cabinet posts in the national government.
Governors now setting their eyes on parliament include Hassan Joho, Jackson Mandago, Alfred Mutua, Kivutha Kibwana, Wycliffe Oparanya, Josphat Nanok, Samuel Tunai and Mwangi Wairia.
The governors have earmarked constituencies where it will be easy for them to sail through. Mutua will contest in Mwala, Oparanya will contest in Butere constituency, while Kibwana is focusing his eyes on Makueni seat currently held by Daniel Maanzo.

Mudavadi

Joho will go to Kisauni constituency, where he was MP for two terms while Mandago will go the Soy seat in Uasin Gishu county currently held by Caleb Kositany.
To the governors, the referendum will help them secure their political careers that had been threatened by an expiry of their terms and give them an opportunity to boost their presence in national politics.