ODM Reacts To MPs Joining Ruto In Charged Statement

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party released its statement on Tuesday, February 7 after some of its Members of Parliament (MP) pledged their support to President William Ruto at the expense of Azimio party leader, Raila Odinga.

Communications director Philip Etale opined that their visit to State House for a breakfast meeting, led by Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwour (Jalang'o), did not come as a surprise to them since the ruling government has been courting them for months.

“The visit to State House this morning by a section of ODM members of parliament has not come as a surprise to the party and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Movement. The party has been monitoring closely the behind-the-scenes activities involving some of them and today was just the climax,” the statement read in part.

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

The party, under Raila, accused the President Ruto-led government of wooing the MPs with monetary gifts in an attempt to put a stop to the Azimio weekly public rallies.

“Since the victory of our Party Leader the Hon. Raila Odinga was stolen and the will of the people subverted after the August 9 2022 general election, some leaders have elected to undermine the leadership of the party and chosen to go against the will of the people who elected them to positions they hold.

 “Three months ago, the Azimio la Umoja leadership began rallies to push for the reclamation of its victory from the hands of the illegitimate administration in order to provide the leadership Kenyans want, but all along, we knew the enemy will not sit pretty. They have started spending stolen money to hoodwink some of our leaders with the aim of trying to scuttle our activities,” the statement added.

ODM further stated that it will not stop in its quest to punish the Ruto government for allegedly winning the 2022 general elections through unscrupulous means.

“We know that in the quest for legitimate leadership, there are those who will fall by the wayside, and some will be compromised, but the movement remains unstoppable. This is a people’s movement aimed at defending the constitution of the land. History will judge harshly leaders who want to betray Kenyans by accepting handouts to scuttle the activities of the movement,” ODM added.

The MPs allied to the ODM party pledged their support to President Ruto, further stating that they were focused on service delivery and asked other leaders to shun politics.

President Ruto said he will work with leaders from across the political divide for the sake of the country’s unity and economic transformation. The legislators thanked the President for his visit to Nyanza and said their constituents are interested in service delivery.

Many political pundits have opined that President Ruto is wooing ODM legislators to his side despite calls by Raila to the Kenya Kwanza government to resign while declaring that he does not recognise Ruto as president.

In the Kibra rally, he blasted Ruto for his attacks on the Kenyatta family, accusing him of doublespeak on matters of taxation, claiming that the real tax cheats and lords of corruption are in government.

The Head of State had in late January held a working breakfast at State House in Nairobi with Members of Parliament (MP) allied to the Jubilee Party, an affiliate of the Raila Odinga-led Azimio la Umoja coalition.