Doublespeak in ODM as MP Kaluma now says Raila to send Ruto CS nominees’ list
![Doublespeak in ODM as MP Kaluma now says Raila to send Ruto CS nominees’ list Doublespeak in ODM as MP Kaluma now says Raila to send Ruto CS nominees’ list](https://citizentv.obs.af-south-1.myhuaweicloud.com/129695/conversions/Kaluma-og_image.webp)
Homa Bay Town MP George Peter Kaluma speaks during a past press address. PHOTO | COURTESY
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) now appears to be
speaking from both sides of the mouth after Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament
Peter Kaluma on Tuesday openly contradicted a statement earlier issued by party
Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
Sifuna,
in a statement released on Tuesday morning, said the party is not
negotiating for any coalition agreement or lobbying for appointments with
President William Ruto’s government.
This
came in the wake of reports that Ruto has offered the party leader Raila Odinga
five Cabinet slots, despite
disagreements within the opposition Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition.
MP Kaluma however,
speaking in the National Assembly later in the afternoon, confirmed a perceived
agreement between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza government to absolve some of the party members into the remaining Cabinet positions.
He disclosed that Mr. Odinga is indeed supposed to be
sending President Ruto a list of candidates to be considered for Cabinet Secretary positions
in the course of the week.
The legislator intimated that the former premier made a pact
with ruling regime to forward his own list of names for consideration
in a bid to forge a government of national unity where no community is left
behind.
“I want to congratulate the President for the appointments
but also request that within the week, as soon as tomorrow, we want to see
those appointments Baba was to forward today and we want all of them approved,
and if that can happen then we are going to push this very fast. We cannot
leave anybody out,” he said.
Kaluma went on to assert that he would not sit pretty and
wait for the President to appoint a Cabinet that discriminates against other
communities.
He underscored that all communities pay equal amounts of
taxes and thus the appointments in State offices and the Public Service
Commission (PSC) should be balanced and inclusive.
“We are at a point in time when the nation is looking up to
us to provide the leadership it needs. Last week even as the ODM party, we sat
and said the government of Kenya belongs to all of us,” he noted.
“I am saying this because I don’t want some confusion. I am
seeing circulations of somebody saying that if ODM members are appointed to
government they are going on their own. We met and resolved…so don’t say No
because when ODM speaks, even Azimio has spoken.”
The MP added: “Article 232 says the public service will
have the face of Kenya. All ethnic communities will be there, and persons of
gender quotas under Article 27 will be there. As a person from an ethnic
community, I will not agree to a position where people say everybody is in
the government except Luos yet Luos also pay taxes.”
ODM Secretary General Sifuna, in his statement, had sought
to clarify that the party supports the ongoing protests for reforms spearheaded
by the Kenyan youth, or Gen Zs.
He stated that the party is no way in talks to join hands with the government, but rather seeks “a national conversation” preceded by the
implementation of conditions recently issued by Mr. Odinga .
These conditions include compensations to families of
victims f extra-judicial killings since last year, unconditional release of all
anti-government protesters, prosecution of rogue police officers, as well as
the sacking of Nairobi Police Commander Adamson Bungei.
“Some of our members have also
fallen for the campaign of lies and misinterpreted our stance as a license to
engage the Kenya Kwanza leadership and canvass for ministerial and/or other
positions in the Ruto government,” said Sifuna.
“As a party, we wish to make it
unequivocally clear that we are not in negotiations with the Ruto regime for
any coalition or political arrangement. Any ODM member who makes themselves
available to join the Kenya Kwanza Cabinet or any other position should know
that they do so without the blessing or support of the party.”
The statement by Sifuna and the subsequent
remarks by MP Kaluma are the latest show of flip-flopping by the party after
Siaya Governor Jams Orengo and Nominated MP John Mbadi, who is the party’s
National Chairman, also gave contradicting statements on the matter over the
weekend.
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