Azimio won’t tolerate ‘betrayal’, says Raila Odinga
Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga in Mlolongo, Machakos County, yesterday. Behind him is Wiper party chief Kalonzo Musyoka.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday issued a warning to Azimio la Umoja One Kenya politicians, saying the coalition would not tolerate disloyal members as he heightened calls on Kenyans to reject President William Ruto’s “illegitimate” government.
Speaking on the day a faction of Jubilee politicians moved to align with the Kenya Kwanza administration, Mr Odinga criticised Azimio MPs who visited State House early this week.
He said Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition is ready to do without members warming to the government.
“If you are itching and want to go to State House, just go. We better remain with a few loyal members than have political prostitutes,” Mr Odinga said in Mlolongo, Machakos County.
He dismissed claims that State House meetings are meant to discuss development, as advanced by some Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Jubilee politicians.
“Development does not happen at State House. It takes place in Parliament,” he said.
Citing numbers given by a whistle-blower at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Mr Odinga maintained that he won the August 2022 presidential race.
“Ruto goes to church every Sunday because he knows he did not win the election,” Mr Odinga said as he accused the government of looking the other way as Kenyans reel under the weight of the high cost of living and heavy taxation.
“We are disturbed by the standoff over the sharing of revenue and release of the same to counties. People need food, water, medicine, seeds and bursary. Money must urgently be released to counties based on the formula proposed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation,” he said.
The rally, which was also addressed by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Roots boss George Wajackoyah, came hot on the heels of a two-day meeting by the Azimio Parliamentary Group.
The MPs drawn mainly from ODM, Wiper and Jubilee decried the high cost of living as they vowed to push the government to make the lives of Kenyans bearable.
“The Kenya Kwanza regime must stop lying and release National Government Constituency Development Fund and National Government Affirmative Action Fund cash to constituencies and help ease the burden on people for whom these funds are a lifeline,” the opposition lawmakers said in a statement released after the meeting and read by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi.
“Twice, the regime has promised the release of the money but failed to keep its word. We also support calls for the full transfer of devolved functions.”
They told the government to restore and expand social protection programmes which guarantee a basic monthly income and vowed to oppose plans to privatise the Kenya Meat Commission and other parastatals.
