Esther Passaris Clarifies Demanding Raila To Stop Disturbing Her

Nairobi County woman representative, Esther Passaris, on Tuesday, June 20 dismissed reports insinuating that she told former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to stop disturbing her with phone calls and threats.

This is after a quote attributed to her went viral on social media platforms indicating that the Azimio la Umoja lawmaker told off Raila over threats towards her and warned him to stop calling her frequently.

"Wewe Raila acha Kisirani. I was elected to represent the people of Nairobi County and not the Odinga family. Vitisho utapeleka kwako usinipee pressure. Wacha kunipigia Simu. I am not your girlfriend," the quote attributed to her read.

Loosely translated to "Raila stop your drama. I was elected to represent the people of Nairobi County and not the Odinga family. You will take your threats back to your homestead, stop giving me pressure. Stop calling me, I'm not your girlfriend."

Photo of Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris on May 10, 2023. /ESTHER PASSARIS

In a rejoinder, however, the lawmaker maintained that she still held respect for the ODM party boss whom she viewed as her party leader.

"Treat this fake news with the contempt it deserves. I have nothing but respect for my Party Leader, the Rt. Hon Raila Odinga," she tweeted.

The fake posts emerged on social media amid pending disciplinary action the Woman Representative faces for voting in support of the Finance Bill 2023.

ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna on Thursday, June 15 singled out Passaris as well as Elisha Ochieng Odhiambo(Gem MP), Aden Adow Mohamed (Wajir South MP) and Caroli Omondi (Suba South MP) as lawmakers who voted in support of the Finance Bill.

However, she maintained that she was still part and parcel of Azimio and that she supported the bill because some of the components were of benefit to her constituents.

"I am still in Azimio and have been with ODM since 2007. I have supported Raila ever since and he in turn supported us as candidates

"We must stand firm to ensure that our government has money. Where will we get the money if the government does not collect tax? People must be taxed so that the government can also fulfil its mandate," she explained then.

ODM is yet to decide on the disciplinary action to be taken against Passaris and her colleagues as well as 24 MPs who missed voting on the Finance Bill. 

Sifuna further warned of the party's plan to expel the lawmakers for disregarding the ODM party's stand on the Finance Bill.

"We have written to the MPs who have met Ruto and voted for the Finance Bill. As ODM, we don’t want them in our party," he stated.