Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has urged ODM leaders who are still harsh critics of the government to go slow and support the broad-based government.
Wanga said since the ODM party joined the broad-based government, the Nyanza region had benefitted from various infrastructural developments, hence the need to support the government.
The Governor’s sentiments were supported by Homa Bay Town Constituency Legislator Peter Kaluma, who said that ODM members should reciprocate President William Ruto’s support for Raila Odinga to be the African Union Chair.
For a long time, the ODM party has been in opposition and has been critical of the government since President Ruto was elected in the August 2022 election, but this apparently changed mid-last year when ODM leader Raila Odinga agreed to work with the head of state.
Some members of the opposition were appointed into government, strengthening the bond between the government and the ODM party and, generally, the Azimio coalition.
But this support for the president has not gone well with the party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and others like Siaya Governor James Orengo, who want leaders from the opposition to continue criticising the government while fulfilling their opposition mandate of keeping government checks.
But according to Governor Wanga, it is not appropriate for leaders from ODM to criticise the leadership of President Ruto after the party’s top leadership, including Mr. John Mbadi, Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, were appointed into the cabinet.
“We have decided to cooperate with the government because we have started benefiting from it through infrastructural growth in this region,” she said.
She spoke Sunday during a funds drive at Sasi Primary School in Kanyadoto ward in Ndhiwa Constituency.
Mr. Kaluma said the appointment of Mr. Mbadi and Dr. Raymond Omolo into government will benefit the region.
He said the positions were previously “reserved” for other regions and not for people from Nyanza.
“Ruto has supported our party leader to be the AU commission chairperson. That also makes him our friend,” Mr. Kaluma said.
Also present at the funds drive were Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.
Mr. Mbadi said the country should focus more on development and not politics, while Dr. Omollo appealed to leaders to tone down political differences, saying it affects the wellbeing of Kenyans.
Last week, MPs, the governor, Senator Moses Kajwang and Woman Representative Joyce Osogo reportedly met Mr. Mbadi and Dr. Omollo in Nairobi, where they discussed ways of pushing for more development in the region.
By Davis Langat