Months since former Prime Minister Raila Odinga joined hands with President William Ruto to form a broad-based Cabinet, the party’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has slammed party members supporting the government.
Speaking on Sunday when he accompanied Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Sifuna reiterated that the party’s mandate was to fight for Kenyans as the opposition but some members had reportedly decided to defend the government.
To them, the Nairobi County Senator asked them to leave the party and join the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) instead.
“There are people in my party, ODM who have forgotten where we came from. They have forgotten what the ODM party stands for and some are saying they are tired of fighting for Kenyans and they were not born to stay in opposition,” Sakaja lamented.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna during a past event.
Photo People Daily
“For those who feel they are tired of defending Kenyans, just leave the party and join UDA once and for all to be with Ruto. Why would you pretend to like a President who is affiliated with another party and forget you are a member of another party? If you are tired of ODM, go to Ruto’s party.”
Continuing with his tirade, Sifuna slighted new members of the party who had reportedly expressed interest in ‘resting’ in the government barely years after joining the opposition.
He also slammed the Kenya Kwanza Government, terming it a government of “Corruption, killers, and abductors.”
Although it is not the first time Sifuna has differed from his fellow ODM leaders, he insisted that he would not be leaving the party or his position any time soon.
A week ago, during the burial of former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) chair Roseline Odede, Sifuna aired the same sentiments and accused a section of ODM members of ignoring their oversight and opposition mandates by supporting President Ruto.
“We must stop being sycophants. If something is wrong, it is wrong. I will not participate in the activities of my fellow ODM members who are enjoying the fruits of being in Ruto’s government and are stifling my efforts to call out the government,” Sifuna asserted.
“When you (Raila) decided to run for the AUC (Africa Union Chairmanship), you told me as the Secretary General of ODM that we must retain the identity of our political party as a beacon of hope for Kenyans. This is what I aspire to do whether you succeed or not.”
He also accused the members of trying to stifle his efforts to call out the misdoings of the government, intimating that would hurt the ODM leader’s chance at the AUC.
ODM leader Raila Odinga (left) with President William Ruto (right) at a funeral in Murang’a County in October 2018.
DPPS