The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has issued a statement after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka stated that broad-based government is a betrayal to Kenyans.
In the statement, ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga accused other parties allied to Azimio of acting in bad faith and with ulterior motives towards Raila Odinga.
Wanga said ODM will not accept any attempts to use Raila Odinga as a human shield or force him to endorse any politician.
Here is the full statement:
We are here as a party to express serious misgivings about utterances by some of our partners in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party who have attempted to question the place of ODM and its commitment playing its role as an opposition party.
We would not take seriously such utterances were they not directed as they are now, at the Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Movement, the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, who is also the leader of Azimio. Someone in Azimio is trying to question Raila Odinga’s commitment to holding the government to account.
The basis of that doubt is the fact that some four, just four former officials of this party joined the Kenya Kwanza administration to help steady the nation.
We wish to restate that the fact remains what the party leader, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga has said before. There is no agreement between ODM and Kenya Kwanza that makes the two joint partners in government.
Why ODM Released 4 CSs
In response to a national emergency and the need to steady the nation, ODM agreed to release, in their individual capacities, the members who had been tapped by the president.
These are former Deputy Party Leaders Ali Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, former National Chairman John Mbadi and former Secretary for Political Affairs Hon. James Opiyo Wandayi and former member of the party’s National Elections Coordinating Committee Ms. Batrice Askul.
The Party Leader has explained, and we reiterate, that the members have not joined the government as representatives of the party but as individuals whom the president felt have the capacity to add value to his administration and help the country achieve desired goals.
No sane leader or political party should celebrate the collapse of the nation. Consequently, when the president tapped on these members, the party responded to the distress call of the nation and released them to serve the people of Kenya.
As a party, however, ODM will continue to play its minority role alongside other parties to push for accountability, transparency, equity and delivery of services to the people in a cost-effective manner.
Having said that, let us also make a few things very clear.
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Azimio Politicians With Bad Faith
As a party, we will not agree to engage with anyone acting in bad faith and with ulterior motives. On the matter at hand-the questioning of ODM and Rt. Hon Raila Odinga’s commitment to opposition-our partners are not acting in good faith.
They are hiding behind the three gentlemen and one lady who joined government and using it to try and wrestle the leadership of the houses of Parliament from ODM.
We find that unacceptable. We wish to reiterate the obvious, that House leadership is about numbers in the house, not those in government.
Numbers in Parliament
As we speak, ODM has the highest number of MPs professing and committed to Azimio ideals and principles. Majority of the MPs from a number of other coalition parties long went to bed with Kenya Kwanza in Parliament.
This has to be about the sacrifices made. Thus far, ODM has borne the highest brunt in terms of casualties; people killed, maimed or wounded while expressing opposition to Kenya Kwanza policies.
Demonstrations did not begin this year or last year. ODM and protests are synonymous. We have borne that cross over the decades and suffered heavy casualties, all the time never apportioning any blame.
Our members have been forthright and honourable enough to declare that they are joining government. The four have been honourable enough to relinquish their party positions instead of clinging to opposition leadership while serving in the government at the same time.
The party leader has been forthright enough to explain that the four have joined in their individual capacities to do national duty and not as representatives of the party.
That is ODM. We act transparently, honorably and accountably.
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Attacks on Raila
Finally, as a party, ODM will not accept any continued attempts to use Raila Odinga as a human shield, any continued attempt to arm twist him into endorsing anybody at this stage, or any continued attempt to use him as an excuse for the failure of leadership in individual constituent parties of Azimio.
And we will not accept the use of Raila’s bid for AUC chairmanship to be used to pass ill-intentioned remarks disguised as well wishes and to arm twist him on Azimio matters.
Raila has earned his candidacy for AUC chairmanship. We are proud that he is a leader of our party ODM and our coalition, Azimio.
We are grateful to the government of Kenya for standing with him. We are grateful to the many African leaders who are considering him for the position. As a party, we will only be too proud to donate Hon Raila to the continent.
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