Published on 07/06/2009
By Oscar Obonyo Akin to the Kiswahili saying "vita vya panzi, furaha kwa kunguru", the tide seems tilted in favour of residents of northern Kenya — thanks to the latest string of public appointments. The
adage literally translates to "the battle of grasshoppers is a blessing
to the crow bird". Its import is that heightened political competition
among the ‘big tribes’ has accorded minority communities leadership
opportunities. Through piecemeal appointments over time, members of the
hitherto marginalised community are slowly flooding several sectors of
Government. Curiously, many
welcome this trend arguing individuals from northern Kenya are best
placed to break the big-tribe political dominance and rivalry. Besides,
politicians interviewed by The Standard On Sunday say they pose no
major political threat. Raw deal "Those
who may be complaining ought to know that after decades of being
treated to a raw deal by Government, we are finally getting a little of
what we rightly deserve," says Nominated MP Mohammed Affey. From
the nomination of legislators to the tenth Parliament, diplomatic
postings to the House committees recently constituted by the Abdikadir
Mohammed-led Committee on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs,
individuals from northern Kenya have dominated appointments. Sources
attribute the move to perceived animosity and suspicion particularly
among politicians from central Kenya, Rift Valley and western Kenya
regions. Afraid of
re-igniting hostilities of 2007 and well aware of vested political
interests, The Standard On Sunday has established there was an
unwritten agreement within the Abdikadir team to lock out individuals
from these areas from heading crucial committees. "Of course, there
were serious efforts to push for certain candidates from the said
warring regions. But the attempts attracted resistance of equal
measure, leaving us with the sole option of settling on more acceptable
candidates," a member of the committee told this writer. According
to the member, candidates from President Kibaki and Prime Minister
Raila Odinga’s communities particularly generated a lot of heat. At the
end of the exercise, no candidate from Central or Nyanza Province was
endorsed to chair a single committee. The outright beneficiaries of the
feuding Kibaki and Raila camps were those from minority communities. In
fact, MPs had agreed, right from the start, that the Mandera Central MP
chair the all-important Administration of Justice Committee. In
the subsequent vetting exercise, Mr Ahmed Issack Hassan was selected
chairman of the key and most sensitive committee — Interim Independent
Electoral Commission. The 39-year-old lawyer hails from Garissa. Regional balance To
date, the Abdikadir team has constituted the membership of the Interim
Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC), Committee of Experts
on Constitutional Review and the National Cohesion and Integration
Committee. However, it is
the latter that boasts the largest number of Muslims and
representatives from northern Kenya. They include, Ms Fatuma Mohammed,
Ms Amina Mwekaa, Ms Alasa Osman, Mr Halakhe Dida Waqo and Mr Ahmed
Yasin. PSC on Administration
of Justice Vice Chairman Ababu Namwamba maintains all appointments
sanctioned by members of his committee were based on merit and a
delicate regional balance. Nominated MP Sheikh Muhammad Dor equally
dismisses claims of favouritism: "Those appointed to serve on various
committees are those who applied, qualified and vetted accordingly by
Parliament." In the run up to
the 2007 elections, the Muslim and northern Kenya community suddenly
became a crucial constituency with key political players closing in, in
search of votes. This reality was further demonstrated after the Grand Coalition Government was formed, following the disputed presidential elections.
Of the 12 available nomination slots to Parliament, ODM, ODM-Kenya and
Kanu parties nominated nearly half that number. The beneficiaries
include Sheikh Dor, Affey, Sofia Abdi Omar, Shakila Abdallah and Amina
Abdallah. Others are Maison Lechoono, Rachel Shebesh, Musa Sirma,
Musikari Kombo, George Nyamweya, Millie Odhiambo and Cooperatives
Minister Joseph Nyaga. Observers
also view the election of Lagdera MP Farah Maalim as Deputy Speaker as
an added boost to the numbers and influence of the Muslim and northern
Kenya community in Parliament.
Publish Date: 6/7/2009
Last Updated: 6/27/2009
Source: Somaliwide +
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