Don’t pester Uhuru and Ruto, Duale tells Raila

Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale addressing journalists at Parliament Buildings on October 7, 2015. Mr Duale has told Cord leader Raila Odinga to stop seeking the President and Deputy President’s attention. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Mr Duale told journalists at Parliament Buildings Friday that he would continue responding to Mr Odinga because he is the Majority Leader and is recognised in the Constitution.
• Mr Duale told Mr Odinga that the only way he can engage Parliament is through National Assembly Leader of Minority Francis Nyenze and his Senate counterpart Moses Wetang’ula.

By JOHN NGIRACHU
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National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has told Cord leader Raila Odinga to stop seeking the President and Deputy President’s attention.

Mr Duale told journalists at Parliament Buildings Friday that he would continue responding to Mr Odinga because he is the Majority Leader and is recognised in the Constitution.

He said Mr Odinga is only recognised as party leader by the ODM constitution.

“The former Prime Minister does not hold any statutory position. He will not get the personal and political engagement he wants with President Kenyatta because he has time for rhetoric but the President does not,” said Mr Duale.

“I am the leader of government business; I do not play in the same league with any of his MPs. He should be ready any time, when I am not busy, for me to engage him. As for him to engage the President, let him tell us where he gets his mandate,” said Mr Duale.

Mr Odinga had, the previous day, said President Kenyatta should respond to his criticism of the Jubilee government.

Mr Duale told Mr Odinga that the only way he can engage Parliament is through National Assembly Leader of Minority Francis Nyenze and his Senate counterpart Moses Wetang’ula.

“You kept saying Duale should not respond to you. What you should know is that this is not the Duale you sacked before.

“If today I lost this seat I will not engage you but as long as I am Leader of Majority and leader of government business, I will always engage you,” Mr Duale said.

At the same time, Mr Duale criticised a Bill seeking diplomatic passports for MPs and their spouses.

“The privileges given to Members of Parliament in that Bill, and I want to say this categorically, I don’t want them,” he said.

Referring to the fact that his wife and children are rarely seen in public with him, Mr Duale said he wouldn’t want his wife to have a diplomatic passport.

Mr Duale, who is also the MP for Garissa Town, said he would ask Eldas MP Adan Keynan to drop some of the provisions and if he did not, to delete them at the last stage.