Kalonzo rejects ODM picks for House leadership

Wiper Party Leader and Azimio Co-Principal Kalonzo Musyoka adresses members of the press after the memorial service of the late Tshazi Okoth at Nairobi Chapel along Ngong Road in Nairobi on August 1,2024. [Robert Tomno,Standard]

Azimio co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka has rejected the list of ODM nominees for parliamentary leadership positions left vacant by leaders nominated to Cabinet.

The Wiper leader argued that the proposals do not reflect the true position of the opposition coalition party.

He said that Azimio will hold a retreat to deliberate on the sharing formula of the positions. 

"We will be going for a retreat...the leadership of the House is a matter of the parliamentary group of Azimio not of ODM. It (the proposed names) is not the final decision," he said.  

Kalonzo revealed that the retreat will also involve discussion on the "vibrancy of the opposition and give very clear direction of the opposition." 

He said this follows a consultative meeting that the Azimio principals held on Wednesday that was attended by ODM leader Raila Odinga. 

The Orange party announced its intent to replace the August House leadership tapped by President William Ruto to join his broad-based government. 

The changes announced by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna saw the current House Minority Chief Whip Junet Mohamed proposed to replace former Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, nominated to head the Ministry of Energy. 

Junet's position in the National Assembly will be taken over by Suba North lawmaker Millie Odhiambo, while Saboti MP Caleb Amisi will replace Nominated MP John Mbadi as chair Public Accounts Committee. Mbadi has been nominated to as Treasury Cabinet Secretary.

"The party has officially released its officials who were recently tapped by President William Ruto for national duty as Cabinet Secretaries. I confirm that I have received the resignations of John Mbadi as National Chairperson of ODM, Opiyo Wandayi as the Secretary for Political Affairs, Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Ali Joho as deputy leaders of the party and Beatrice Askul Moe who has resigned as the member of the party’s election committee,” Sifuna said.

The developments comes at a time when have cracks have emerged in Azimio after Raila's deal with Ruto's government. 

Tension escalated after youths disrupted Kalonzo during Azimio presser at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation offices in Upper Hill.

However, Raila has dismissed the allegations, saying he has not abandoned the opposition for Kenya Kwanza, even as his close allies accepted Ruto's offer to join the Cabinet. 

Kalonzo maintained his stance against the proposed dialogue with the government to address issues bedeviling the country following Gen Zs protests. 

"There is no need for any conversation or any dialogue. What you (government) need to do is adherence to the rule of law and to the constitution," he said. 

"We continue to be on the side of the people. We will not be party to it," he added, insisting that the government should demonstrate good will and act on the demands raised by Gen Zs. 

"We should not cannibalise the multiparty democracy...something that works against the principle must be fought...do we want to get back to one party state? He posed. 

On the ruling on Finance Act 2023 that dealt a blow to Ruto's administration, he castigated the government for "illegally" imposing taxes on the people. 

"We are dealing with a government that does not believe in the rule of law...and now that the court declared the Act unconstitutional, we expect that they will have to abide by that constitution," he said. 

Kalonzo spoke on Thursday, in Nairobi Chapel, during the memorial service of Tshazi Okoth Ogendo, brother to SKM Director Secretariat, Rodney Okoth. 

Tshazi, was eulogised by his friends and relatives as an honest, loving, reliable and intelligent person who was keen to detail.