Siaya Governor James Orengo has asked the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition MPs to use their numerical strength to push for pro-people policies.
This, as Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi asked them to use it to impeach President William Ruto by March this year.
Mr Orengo, a key ally of ODM leader Raila Odinga, and Mr Wanjigi said Kenyans are angry and challenged Azimio to take advantage of its numerical strength in Parliament, rise to the occasion and impeach Dr Ruto, following the landmark ruling by a three-judge bench of the High Court that declared them the majority party .
Mr Odinga is in a political rapprochement with President Ruto but Mr Orengo and some key ODM lieutenants, including secretary general Edwin Sifuna, have insisted that the party remains distinct and should chart its own path.
Mr Odinga’s allies — Opiyo Wandayi, John Mbadi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and Beatrice Askul — who joined Cabinet after the Ruto-Raila deal, as well as National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, have insisted that they should not be asked to oppose the government from within.
“I am asking my party ODM, not to lose this thing that the High Court of Kenya has said that Azimio is the majority party. Don’t leave it. Instead of sitting at the table, with whoever is in power, the court is giving you what belongs to you,” said Mr Orengo at the burial of Richard Ochieng, father of Safina Deputy Party leader Willis Ochieng’, in Mur Ng’iya, Siaya County.
Mr Wanjigi challenged the ODM party to use its numerical strength and seize the opportunity to remove Dr Ruto from power.
“He has taught us that a Deputy President can be impeached without completing the five years, now that Azimio is the majority, they can take this golden opportunity and let the country have a fresh start,” said Mr Wanjigi.
He added: “If by March, the Members of Parliament fail to do the necessary then they shall have lost it. This is the time to correct the mess and let the country have a fresh beginning, we need not wait for the five years to end.”
The two leaders were speaking on the backdrop of a court ruling delivered on Friday that is likely to affect the House leadership.
A three-judge bench comprising Justice Jairus Ngaah, Lawrence Mugambi and John Chigiti ruled that Speaker Moses Wetang’ula violated the constitution by designating Kenya Kwanza Alliance, which is led by President Ruto, as the majority party.
The court quashed Speaker Wetangula’s ruling dated October 6, 2022, that declared Kenya Kwanza Alliance the majority Party with 179 members and Azimio the Minority 157 MPs. The judges said the ruling was null and void.
The judgment sets the stage for Azimio MPs to take over leadership of major committees in Parliament.
According to Mr Wanjigi, the country is in an economic Intensive Care Unit because of the debt burden. On his part, Mr Orengo vowed not to sacrifice the truth for any political gain.
“I will always tell the truth. And I think I have survived in politics by telling the truth. When I was in politics we didn’t have money to run around. But at least there was some element of fairness,” said Governor Orengo.
He added, “Why are we giving up? We don’t want career politicians; we want people with convictions. This is what will bring change to Kenya. Don’t go to somebody’s house and you are given a good meal and then you forget the next meal will not be the same.”
“For a long time I have had issues with the Kenyan courts, however, the ruling issued by the High Court yesterday (Friday) was a landmark,” said Mr Orengo.
He further indicated that the ruling is a pointer towards a declaration made by the electoral commission on the presidential candidate.
“There is no way Azimio could have won the majority of the governors’ seats, senate, and the National assembly and failed to win the presidency,” added Mr Orengo.
“Now that the court has declared that the Azimio coalition party has the majority, what will the ODM party do about it? Are they going back to the negotiation table and talking about it with Kenya Kwanza? The court is giving this to you saying that it is yours,” he said.
The Siaya governor, on the other hand, faulted the politics that is going on in the country two-and-a-half years to elections warning that the country is heading in the wrong direction.
“We have got it wrong since independence when it comes to elections. Our children who are Gen Zs cannot be heard simply because we have got it wrong. We cannot be talking about elections that are two-and-a-half years away,” said Mr Orengo.
The governor said that talking about elections now is detrimental and it is an imminent danger and a pointer to another year when the country will again get it wrong in the polls.
“The country is angry and the citizens are angry. Talking about elections today is making things worse for this country,” added the governor.
While highlighting the historical events in the country, the county boss pointed out that the former presidents took advantage of the lack of proper structures.
“The late former President Daniel Moi won elections against the late Kenneth Matiba and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (in 1992) simply because the structures were not in place. Reports from different commissions have instructed proper electoral structures to ascertain free, fair, credible and verifiable elections,” he said.
On the other hand, Machakos Governor, Wavinya Ndeti called on the ODM party and the leaders from the Nyanza region to rally behind Wiper Democratic Movement Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka .
“For a good 15 years, Mr Musyoka has been with you faithfully, this time he has announced his intentions to contest for the seat of presidency, it is time for you people to return the favour,” said Ms Ndeti.
