Oparanya to voters: Punish rebel MPs in 2027
ODM deputy party leader and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya addressing the public in Kakamega on May 6, 2023 when he disclosed that Azimio shall resume weekly
demonstrations if parliament fails to address their demands. He also wants the electorate to punish rebel MPs in 2027.
ODM deputy leader Wycliffe Oparanya has urged voters in Western region to punish legislators who switched allegiance from Raila Odinga's party to President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza regime when they seek re-election in 2027.
This comes at a time when the opposition party is under attack from President Ruto's side as his allies leave in droves to work with the government.
Mr Oparanya singled out Butere MP Tindi Mwale, whom he accused of betraying the electorate who elected him on an ODM ticket.
"When you elected Mwale, he was in ODM. But he went to Nairobi and decided to join Ruto at the expense of ODM without consulting you. We ask him to come back and seek re-election if he thinks he is a popular leader," said Mr Oparanya.
Mr Mwale is among the ODM MPs who ignored Mr Odinga's calls to join anti-government protests and has since kept a low profile.
During the campaign for the 9 August 2022 elections, he was one of the frontline leaders defending the ODM party and its leader, Mr Odinga, under the umbrella of 'Jeshi la Baba'.
ODM MPs from Kakamega have vowed to work with President Ruto's government for the sake of development in their areas despite backlash from the party leadership.
The MPs are Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Johnson Naicca (Mumias West) and Peter Nabulindo (Matungu).
In the August 2022 general election, ODM won 10 of the 13 parliamentary seats in Kakamega County.
Claims of development
The MPs who went to Ruto said no one would stop them from working with the President for the development of their constituencies.
"We are still in ODM, we are faithful and loyal to our party and the leader Raila Odinga who we have all respect for, but we have to work with the president to get mega projects in our areas," they said.
They made it clear that they were not joining UDA because they have a contract with ODM until 2027.
Mr Khamala said they were hunting for meat for their people and that did not mean they were disobeying their father, Mr Odinga.
"It is a lie for anyone to say we are working with the President for our own stomachs, we are seasoned MPs who know what we are doing," he said.
Mr Shinali said they had a pact with the President to deliver development projects to their people. The lawmaker said issues added that the President was a personal friend. He said issues of parties and defections will come in 2027, but for now it's time to deliver services.
"We have a responsibility to serve those who elected us and we are ready to go the extra mile to achieve that," he said, noting that they have roads in their constituencies that have stalled and we have a right to ask the President to act accordingly to ensure that they are completed.
But Mr Oparanya lashed out at the leaders, calling them traitors.
He also accused Mr Ruto of buying members to weaken the opposition.
He said under the new constitution, opposition MPs don't have to kneel before the government to get development projects for their constituencies because the constitution guarantees them funds for development.
