Raila permitted me to criticise government, MP Amisi says

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi / HANDOUT 

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has claimed that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga personally gave him the green light to openly criticise the current government.

The Saboti MP said that Raila informed him that the Orange Democratic Movement party is not part of the government.

According to Amisi, the conversation took place during a private meeting in Kileleshwa, where he raised concerns about shifting political sentiments in his constituency and his intention to openly criticise the government.

“Mine was a secret with him. I met former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Kileleshwa; we sat together, and I told him that my people have refused to support President William Ruto. Allow me to criticise the government. Raila told me to go ahead, ODM is not in government. I can quote him,” Amisi said during an interview at Radio Maisha.

Amisi has continued to take a more outspoken stance in recent months, using public platforms to question internal party decisions and call for greater transparency and ideological clarity within the opposition.

Amisi also stated that he is the founder of the Linda Mwananchi movement, associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, which he described as an internal ODM faction pushing for grassroots accountability.

The group, which has been active in parts of western Kenya and Nairobi, has positioned itself as a movement focused on protecting the voice of the ordinary citizen within ODM.

The team has vowed to block any planned coalition agreement with UDA, insisting ODM must field a presidential candidate in next year’s polls.

On February 11, Amisi was removed from the ODM National Executive Committee after he was elected as chairman of his branch, thus disqualifying him from serving in the NEC.

Accordingly, ODM wrote letters informing him and two others of this requirement by law, and removed them from a WhatsApp group of the NEC as well.

“We write to formally acknowledge and congratulate you on your election as the ODM chairperson for Trans Nzoia following the recently concluded grassroots elections,” a letter dated February 6 said.

The letter, signed by ODM executive director Oduor Ong’wen, cites the ODM constitution, which states that no party officials can hold two positions concurrently.

“As you are aware, your election to this county office has a constitutional implication on your current position with the party. In accordance with Article 92 of the party constitution, which expressly provides that “All Party officials shall not hold more than one office in the party”, your assumption of office of the county chairpersons ipso facto extinguishes your membership as the deputy national organising secretary in the NEC of the Party,” the letter says.