Backbenchers on Monday vowed to push ahead with a Bill seeking to legalise an official Opposition to check the Grand Coalition Government.

Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba of ODM, the architect of the proposed law, said no amount of threats would stop him and his colleagues from introducing the Bill in the House.

"I will not be cowed because this is a noble cause, not a personal contest," he said.

Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo of Kaddu and Bureti MP Franklin Bett supported Mr Namwamba and questioned the motive of those opposing the move. They said those opposed to the calls for an opposition could be doing so to remain relevant until the 2012 General Election. "These are unique times that require special treatment," Mr Jirongo said.

According to him, MPs were not forming an opposition to change the status quo.

"It is clear that ODM shall remain the majority party in Parliament," he said.

At the weekend, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who is also the ODM leader, had criticised those calling for the formation of an opposition. He said that if the party's MPs crossed the floor, ODM might lose its majority in the House.

According to the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, the party with the majority in Parliament produces the Prime Minister.

Mr Jirongo said that the coalition Government was fighting to break the backbenchers' initiative because its top leaders were preoccupied with the 2012 succession race.

President Kibaki, who is serving his second and final term, will not be in the State House race in the 2012 General Election. Some ODM leaders, including party chairman Henry Kosgey and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, at the weekend said they will support Mr Odinga for the presidency in the next General Election.

Mr Jirongo argued that both PNU and ODM were scared of the unity among ordinary MPs because it would erode the parties' popularity ahead of the next election.

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende said the MPs had a constitutional right to do so. But he expressed confidence that the Government would carry the day when it is time to vote on the Bill. The Government side has 42 ministers and 54 assistant ministers in the 216-member house.

Lands ministers James Orengo and his Nairobi Metropolitan counterpart, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, said separately that the manner in which the more than 65 MPs were pursuing the issue of introducing a Bill on Opposition would be against the law that established the grand coalition - the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.

Mr Kilonzo asked the MPs to wait until 2012 when the grand coalition will dissolve itself by law, then go out and fight to come back to Parliament to realise their dream.

"We all voted unanimously to change section 15(a) to accommodate the grand coalition government. So how can we in the same Parliament... go back and change the law?" he asked.

Mr Orengo said an effective opposition from the back bench existed even when the country was under a single party.

Last week, Mr Namwamba successfully pushed a Motion through the House in which he was given a nod to introduce an Official Opposition Bill that would govern the opposition given that the two big parties - PNU and ODM - have formed the grand coalition.

The third largest party, ODM-K, signed a deal with PNU just after the December election, making its leader, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, the Vice-President.

Mr Odinga has said that the MPs would be wrong to join a grand opposition while still in ODM.

He asked them to resign their seats first, like he did when he differed with Ford-Kenya leadership, and seek a fresh mandate.

Mr Orengo said that so long as the MPs clamouring to form an Opposition are not acting in bad faith, they can be a vibrant backbench opposition.

He spoke after Law Society of Kenya officials led by chairman Okong'o O'Mogeni paid him a courtesy call in his office.

Mr Kilonzo said forming of an opposition was not the way to go and that the MPs should give the Government a chance to operate before starting to criticise it.

Reports by Bernard Namunane, Owino Opondo, Kenneth Ogosia and Casper Waithaka