Energy and Petroleum Cabinet secretary Opiyo Wandayi has come out guns blazing hitting at critics who have been condemning a section of Orange Democratic Movement leaders for joining President William Ruto’s government.
He alleged that there was a conspiracy by certain agencies to paint the government in bad light simply because opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Nyanza region now supports President Ruto .
Mr Wandayi claimed many people were attacking the Head of State because he had accommodated the Nyanza region in the new broad-based government.
But Mr Wandayi, who has also been in the line of fire, differs.
According to the CS, the Nyanza region has been in the struggle for reforms, fight against bad governance and dictatorship for decades.
He however stated that this should not be used to subvert the community’s efforts to be part of the government in power.
“Why is it that when the Luo community is in government, it is bad, but when they are on the streets fighting the existing administration, all these other voices support the state claiming it is good? Right now that Rigathi Gachagua has been impeached and the Luo people are finding their feet in government, now the government is bad,” posed Mr Wandayi.
“Even entities including the church, civil societies, and other NGOs are now finding their voice. This is certainly a conspiracy and we can see through it,” he added.
Dr Ruto recently fired back at the church and politicians for criticising his administration saying they should be careful lest they become victims of what they are accusing him of.
The Head of State who shared a cordial relationship with the church during his campaigns for presidency, has turned out to be the biggest enemy of his former friends.
The clergy has been protesting against the rising burden of higher taxes, run away cost of living, corruption, a health sector in crisis, escalating human rights violations following abductions and killings believed to be orchestrated by the state.
The opposition has also been on the receiving end with many questioning whether they will carry out their oversight role while enjoying the comfort of government and that the broad-based government was a ploy to kill the opposition and elbow out those who had fought hard for Dr Ruto’s election victory in 2022.
But they have always maintained that the broad based government shall not affect the autonomy of the ODM party.
“We can continue to fight for rights of our people even within government, we can continue to fight for human rights while in government, but it cannot be a crime to be in government,” said Mr Wandayi.
The CS who together with former ODM Party Chairman John Mbadi were picked by President Ruto to join his cabinet from the Nyanza region, maintained that they have no regrets accepting the positions they were appointed to despite being bitter critics of the Kenya Kwanza government.
“We are not ashamed, we have no regrets whatsoever, and have no apologies for having made a conscious decision to work from within the government under the leadership of our leader Raila Odinga,” said Mr Wandayi.
The Cabinet Secretary gave a blow by blow narration to an audience at the second edition of the Sigand Nyi Nam (Daughters of the Lake) Convention in Migori detailing the struggles the opposition went through during the anti-government protests immediately after the 2022 General Election.
The event brings together women and women leaders, professionals drawn from the Lake Region, as well as development partners to unite in addressing three critical issues: new HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
He stated that when over 70 young men died in the protests and they opposition was looking for a church venue to pray for the souls of the departed, but no church was ready to host them.
“After All Saints Cathedral and Holy Family Basilica refused and we resorted to hold the prayers at an open ground in Karen owned by the Catholic Church, they came and pulled our tents down overnight,” said the Energy CS.
Mr Wandayi said they had to use Wiper Democratic Movement Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s residence for the activity. He said that the region will continue supporting government projects.
Mr Wandayi added that in Nyanza, the undisputed leader remains Mr Odinga who the community depends on for direction, especially on matters of politics.
“We are praying that come February next year Mr Odinga not only wins the position of African Union Commission Chairmanship, but does so in a convincing manner that will leave no doubt in the minds of everybody that for sure he is the choice of the African continent,” said Mr Wandayi.
There have been some critics who are also against Mr Odinga’s quest for the continental position even as the president allocated resources and machinery to support his course.
In his recent visit to Kisumu, President Ruto vowed to send home any leader engaging in corruption, propagating hate, ethnicity and division among Kenyans, vowing to continue uniting the country.
In a direct attack on Mr Gachagua, his former Deputy, Dr Ruto said he has already illustrated his commitment to kick out people spreading division and ethnicity.
