FACTIONAL wars and intrigues within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) cost lawyer Cecil Miller the position of the chairman of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC), we can now reveal. Sources said the differences between ODM MPS from Nyanza and those from Rift Valley put paid to Miller’s bid for the electoral body’s top position. While ODM Rift Valley MPs had no problem with Miller’s candidature, Nyanza leaders felt Miller, who is the son of a former chief justice., was too close to central Kenya.
According to some ODM MP’s from Rift Valleys a party meeting called to discuss who to support for the IIEC job reached a dead-end when those from Nyanza vowed to block Miller owing to what they termed as his tribal inclination to Central Province. During the meeting which took place at Parliament Build-ings three weeks ago, MPs from Nyanza stood their ground that though Miller was the most qualified of all those who had been short-listed, he had to be blocked because of fears he was working for the interests of politicians from Central Province. And following the impasse, MPs from Rift Valley informed their Nyanza colleagues that the trend they were taking over the Miller issue did not augur well for the country, stating that they should hot look for tribal inclinations when it comes to such important appointments.
