Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has issued a stern call for the resignation of four ODM-allied members recently nominated by President William Ruto to join his cabinet. Speaking on Citizen TV’s Daybreak show on Thursday, Sifuna emphasized that these nominations do not reflect the party’s position and were not officially endorsed by ODM’s leadership.
Sifuna expressed his expectation that the nominees should step down from their party positions before heading for parliamentary vetting. “I expect that before they go for vetting, I will receive resignation letters from their positions in the party,” Sifuna stated. “The law dictates that they cannot join the cabinet as party members while still holding positions within ODM.”
The political stalwart highlighted that the nominations were not conducted through the party’s official channels and were not recommended by the party leader, Raila Odinga. He dismissed any speculations that the decision was a collective party move, stressing that it was the individuals’ choices.
“Did we know that people were negotiating with Ruto? Yes, we knew. Was it done officially through the party structures? No. Did we endorse the decision by these four individuals to join the government? No. It is not a decision of ODM,” Sifuna asserted.
He further clarified that if Raila Odinga had a hand in the nominations, there would have been gender equity, which was conspicuously absent in the current list. “Even the president himself never said he consulted Raila. He never said he consulted ODM. He just announced the names. If Raila Odinga was asked to present names of capable people, he would not present four men from the same region in a party as diverse as ODM.”
President Ruto’s announcement included the nomination of John Mbadi, a nominated MP, to the Treasury ministry, Ugunja MP James Opiyo Wandayi to the Energy docket, former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho to the Mining and Blue Economy ministry, and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to the Cooperatives and MSMEs Development ministry.
This development comes merely 24 hours after Sifuna had reiterated that ODM was not in negotiations for any coalition agreement or lobbying for appointments within Ruto’s government. Reports suggesting that Ruto had offered Raila Odinga five cabinet slots despite internal opposition discord were widespread, especially after Odinga agreed to a national multi-sectoral dialogue forum proposed by Ruto. This forum was aimed at addressing issues raised by Kenyans in the anti-government protests over the past month.
However, the call for resignations underscores the fractures within the opposition, particularly within the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition. Several principals of the coalition had previously stated they had no intentions of joining the government, viewing such a move as a betrayal to their supporters.
Sifuna’s firm stance reveals the ongoing internal conflicts and the struggle for coherence within the ODM party and the larger opposition coalition. As the political landscape in Kenya continues to evolve, the true allegiance and motives of party members will likely come under increased scrutiny. Whether the nominated members will heed Sifuna’s call to resign or proceed to vetting without stepping down from their party positions remains to be seen. This scenario presents a critical test for ODM’s unity and its approach to navigating the complexities of Kenyan politics.
