The Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM) through its Director of Communications Philip Etale, addressed a video circulating on social media that features former Prime Minister Raila Odinga criticizing National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.
In a statement on Tuesday, October 29, Etale acknowledged that indeed Odinga criticized Wetangula, but that video was captured in 2023.
“The video doing rounds of Raila Odinga talking about Speaker is an old video. He made the remarks during the funeral of the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna in 2023. Ignore it,” ODM, Director of Communications clarified.
In the video, the former Prime Minister accuses the National Assembly of being biased in Parliament proceedings and practising conflict of interest since he is a party leader of a political party.
ODM confirms the video was recorded last year
“A speaker must be somebody neutral and nonpartisan. You cannot be a Speaker while being a member of the Conservative Party or the Labour Party. If he wants to be a true Speaker he must resign as the party leader of FORD Kenya to preside over Parliament in a neutral manner,” the former Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing mourners.
Also Read: ODM MP Hints at When Wetang’ula will Leave Speaker Position
Odinga also argued that Wetangula has been receiving directives from the Statehouse and enacting legislation without acknowledging the views of the opposition.
The Kenya Times fact-checked the video and found out that it was indeed recorded during the funeral of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s father Lawrence Sifuna on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
Kenyans respond to Etale’s message
Even though the video was taken last year 2023, Kenyans expressed mixed reactions regarding ODM, the Director of Communication’s statement.
Popular social media X user Cornelius Ronoh stated that the message remains unchanged, despite the video being from last year, reaffirming that the Speaker is still biased, even with Odinga’s involvement in President Ruto’s broad-based government.
Also Read: ODM Politician Decamps to UDA Party
Another user echoed Ronoh’s sentiments, saying, “So what has changed? If it was wrong then, it’s wrong even today. Stop this pendulum behaviour of people without principles, guided only by their interests.”
A different user commented, “Oh, Phillip, so Raila no longer believes Parliament should have an impartial Speaker? That’s quite enlightening.”
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