Jalang'o Likens Ruto's State House Meeting To Past Radio Jobs

Lang'ata Member of Parliament Phelix Odiwuor alias Jalang'o defended his visit to State House for a meeting with President William Ruto on Tuesday, February 7, despite the disquiet on it that befell the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, whose ticket he was elected on in 2022.

Speaking during an interview with Spice FM on Wednesday, February 8, the first-time lawmaker argued that the closed-door meeting was for the good of his constituents given the development projects that would benefit them if he teamed up with the government.

He added that he was discussing the logistics of the project to commence on Wednesday, with the Head of State, adding that upon getting to the President's official residence, he found other ODM leaders there and was asked to join them.

President William Ruto meets Nyanza leaders at State House on February 7, 2023. /PCS

"Remember the President's first project was in Lang'ata and that is why I was there. Ruto called for the meeting.

"I was told to sit with them because I come from the region. Being a leader, it was only noble that I sit with them there," he stated.

The former Kiss FM presenter added that he did not see anything wrong with meeting Ruto at State House even though he was in the opposition party, adding that he consulted first with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga over his meeting with Ruto.

“If today, for example, I was with Raila in a rally and there is no water in Lang’ata, the people of Lang’ata will not care what I said in that rally, they will care about water in Lang’ata. If today there is water in Lang’ata and I didn’t show up at Railas rally, my ardent supporters, ODM supporters, will not care that I was not there, but that there was water," he added.

In an apparent warning shot to the Azimio la Umoja coalition, Jalas likened political alignment with his employment history where he worked at different radio stations on different terms of employment, adding that he will not hesitate to dump the coalition if he feels it is not meeting his ambitions for the people of Lang'ata.

“If you’re not giving me what I want, I move. Life is a movement, join the movement. Forget about all other things.