Raila roots for referendum to weed out rogue MCAs

ODM leader Raila Odinga addresses mourners during the burial service of Aketch Chieng' in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, on October 19, 2018. He wants a referendum. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Odinga wants MCAs to focus on providing services to the people instead of arguing about trivial matters.
  • Atwoli said the Constitution must be reviewed to change the ‘winner takes all’ system to promote inclusivity.

ODM leader Raila Odinga says the Constitution should be changed to improve the conduct of members of county assemblies and boost services to the people.

Speaking in Homa Bay, Mr Odinga said county assemblies had become "theatres of the absurd".

Mr Odinga said this was unfortunate and an insult to the Kenyan electorate.

"The Kenyan society is saddened by the developments in our county assemblies. They have become theatres of the absurd hence there is an urgent need to rectify the situation in the upcoming referendum to improve services to the people," Mr Odinga said.

He was speaking during the burial of veteran politician Elisha Aketch Chieng' at Langi village in Ndhiwa.

DEVELOPMENT

Mr Odinga noted that instead of debating issues to improve people’s livelihoods, MCAs have resorted to ‘violence and thuggery’.

"We must initiate changes in the governance of our county assemblies so that they can provide services to the people instead of arguing all the time about allowances, car and house loans among other things," he said.

Condemning the violence witnessed during chaotic scenes in county assemblies, Mr Odinga said: “It hurts me when I see a man fight someone’s wife when chaos breaks out in the county assemblies. The law does not allow you to attack even your own wife.”

Mr Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida, Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary-general Francis Atwoli, Senate Minority Leader James Orengo and ODM chairman John Mbadi.

REFORMS

Yesterday, Mr Odinga led the leaders in campaigning for constitutional changes. “We have already put together a team going around to collect peoples’ views on the proposed changes that will be effected whether some people like it or not.”

Mr Atwoli said the constitution must be reviewed to change the ‘winner takes all’ system to promote inclusivity.

Mr Chieng’, 79, passed away at Nairobi West Hospital last month after a long battle with cancer.

He was one of the most vocal politicians in South Nyanza during President Daniel arap Moi’s era.