As usual Kenyan politicians are tragedy celebrities, from Precious Talent Academy and now at the Likoni ferry where a mother and her child drowned in their car.
A week later and the bodiesbhave not been retrieved, The former Prime Minister and ODM Leader Rails Odinga was at the scene where he ordered for the suspension of the dredging activities to allow search operations.
His order to Kenya Ports Authority were met by mixed reactions. Leader allied to the deputy President William Ruto have criticized Odinga’s order and are now demanding clarification of the role of the opposition chief in government.
Mathira lawmaker Hon. Rigathi Gachagua refferef to Raila’s orders the height of absurdity. Dredging works are to widen the channel for bigger ships to dock at the busy Mombasa port.
Rails is the AU High Representative on infrastructure. That he spoke on this ground is in doubt and the dredging works have continued despite his orders.
They were taken as jokes as the opposition leader has no powers to issue orders to public servants.
Despite the handshake, Jubilee MPs allied to Ruto still see him as the same opposition leader they beat in 2013 and 2017. They claim that they thought the handshake was about uniting people it now appears to be all about power.
Belgut Mp Nelson Koech emphasized that Raila’s orders must be dismissed before it gets to levels where he will issue orders the president may find uncomfortable.
Raila however got some loose support from the National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi who said that the ODM leader was expressing his opinion as the AU envoy for infrastructure. He could also express himself as an engineer, Muturi added.
Its not the first time Rail a has issued directives that have been defied. It is embarrassing, he tried firing William Ruto then Agriculture Minister during the grand coalition government. The directives were taken as jokes, Ruto and Prof. Sam Ongeri did not step aside, instead the reminded Mr Odinga that he was not the appointing authority.
