Ruto allies raise alarm over ODM hostility

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President William Ruto’s allies are sounding the alarm over what they describe as a calculated campaign of political hostility and attacks against the administration by ODM luminaries.

Key Ruto allies, including Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Wakili Sigei (Bomet) and Samson Cherargei (Nandi) have publicly condemned ODM's rhetoric, warning that it risks puncturing the broad-based government.

The concern comes in the wake of a series of strongly worded statements from top ODM officials accusing Ruto's administration of, among others, economic mismanagement, authoritarian rule, and betraying campaign promises.

ODM's aggressive tone has particularly intensified following the recent deadlock over transfer of some county functions still being centrally managed.

Kericho Senator Cheruiyot termed the utterances an attempt to blackmail the government.

“The Senate has stood with the Council of Governors on the Roads Fund matter to the best of its abilities, albeit with minimal success,” Cheruiyot said yesterday.

“Then out of the blue, in classic political pietism, the deputy party leader of ODM and the Governor of Kisumu Anyang’ Nyong’o emerges, blaming the President. A very poor blackmail attempt.”

Cheruiyot was responding to Nyong’o’s hard-hitting statement in which he accused the government of trying to hold on to some devolved funds.

In a blistering attack on Tuesday, Nyong’o accused the regime of regressing to the “pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era”, suggesting that the constitutional gains of 2010 constitution are under direct threat.

He labeled the national government’s behaviour as “primitive accumulation schemes” that jeopardise both governance and democratic development.

“The truth is that Ruto regime has decided to go back to pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era. The 2010 constitution is a hindrance to its primitive accumulation schemes, which will affect not only devolution but the very ethos of building a national democracy and development state,” Nyong’o said in a strong statement on Tuesday.

Nyong'o is the second ODM governor who has publicly criticised President Ruto since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Ruto’s UDA.

Irked by Nyong’o’s attack, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, also a close Ruto ally, read mischief in the statement, insisting the governor’s attack was personal.

“While we want devolution to work for the prosperity of our country, Prof Nyong’o should not personalise attacks against President Ruto’s administration," Cherargei stated.

Bomet Senator Wakili Sigei urged the President not to be distracted by those keen on slow-puncturing his national agenda.

“We believe that the opposition party ODM correctly interrogated the political situation in Kenya and responded rightly so by engaging the government in a rapprochement that was premised on building one united nation,” Sigei said.

“We accordingly urge the President to continue dedicating his efforts to development and prosperity and not to be distracted by those keen on slow-puncturing his national agenda.”

In the recent days, more ODM leaders have launched fresh and ferocious criticism of President William Ruto’s broad-based government at a time the administration is pulling all stops to steady the ship.

Increasingly, vocal allies aligned to Raila Odinga are now finding an easy punching bag in Ruto’s regime, signaling that things are not going well in the Raila-Ruto deal.

The dissenting voices started with Siaya Governor James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

However, Nyong’o and Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ have also joined the fray.

Sifuna on Wednesday came to the defense of Nyong’o, saying the concerns raised by the Kisumu county boss are in line with the position of party leader Raila Odinga.

“The ODM party leader himself has repeatedly and consistently stated in public his position on the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund, NG-CDF and support of devolution,” Sifuna told the Star.

The prominent ODM figures – in what is becoming a pattern - have ramped up their rhetoric, publicly questioning the government’s priorities and boldly insisting on calling out bad governance.

Kajwang’ slammed those attacking Ruto's critics, saying Kenya is a democracy and everyone should be allowed to freely express themselves.

“As much as we are in the broad-based government, if things are not working right, we will speak out. If there are abductions and that is contrary to the constitution, I will speak out. If the health system is not working, we will speak out, but we will do so with respect and in a manner that does not disintegrate the country,” Kajwang’ said during a talk show on NTV on Tuesday.

Pro-government MPs have, however, swiftly hit back cautioning against what they claim is a growing inside pattern to discredit the government.

Keiyo South lawmaker Gideon Kimaiyo called on leaders critical of the broad-based government to give peace and stability a chance.

“Nobody benefits from chaos, we can only create employment where there is stability,” Kimaiyo stated.

“As young leaders, we want to continue preaching a message of peace and unity,” added nominated Senator Irine Mayaka.

Former Raila aide Silas Jakakimba told Ruto critics from Nyanza to rechannel their energy into ensuring economic empowerment of the region.

He termed the confrontational politics as old-fashioned and has no place in the current Kenya.

“It is important to support this political environment; I urge leaders, especially from Luo Nyanza, not to make remarks that will cause confusion and chaos,” Jakakimba stated.

Raila Odinga himself, though more measured in tone, recently appealed to party members to exercise restraint and decorum while debating the current state of affairs amid speculations of a rift within ODM.

"Mr Odinga believes the discussions are not unique to ODM and are in line with similar such engagements that have gone on in equally strong parties in established democracies," Raila’s spokesman Dennis Onyango said last week.

"It is the position of the party leader that at the appropriate time, relevant organs of the party will harmonise the diverse views and come up with a harmonised position on the way forward. Mr Odinga appeals to ODM members and leaders to exercise decorum, civility, restraint and respect for each other as they debate the current state of affairs and the future of the party.”