Terming the appointment unsanctioned by the coalition, Kalonzo remarked that the Wiper lawmakers would be instructed to reject the nominees during the vetting process set to begin in the coming days.
Wiper Party Leader, Kalonzo Musyoka has announced that he instructed Members of Parliament in his party to reject Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominees from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
He reiterated that as a member of the Azimio la Umoja coalition, the ODM party had announced that the four nominees were joining President William Ruto’s Cabinet in their individual capacities.
Terming the appointment unsanctioned by the coalition, Kalonzo remarked that the Wiper lawmakers would be instructed to reject the nominees during the vetting process set to begin in the coming days.
Wiper Party Leader, Kalonzo Musyoka speaking alongside other Azimio leaders during a press briefing on April 9, 2024. /KALONZO MUSYOKA
“I have given directions as the party leader to Wiper Members of Parliament that the names of the four people when brought to parliament for vetting, Wiper members vote No,” Kalonzo directed.
The former vice president who was speaking in his hometown in Kyuso, Mwingi area in Kitui County on Sunday, July 28 revealed that he was keen to see how ODM members of parliament would vote.
He added that despite ODM’s stance regarding the sanctioning of the nominations, the truth would be revealed during the vetting exercise.
“ODM is in a big trap now. If they vote yes during vetting, then Kenyans will know they were lying that the members went on their own because these were leaders of ODM,” Kalonzo remarked.
He alleged a witch hunt in the process noting that it was illegal for the top leadership of the party to join the government without permission.
Kalonzo gave examples of the two deputy party leaders – Ali Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya – as well as National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, wondering how they were nominated to Ruto’s Cabinet and why he was not respected during the nomination exercise.
“At least I should have been consulted as a leader in our coalition. I did not know,” Kalonzo lamented.
In Wandayi’s case, Kalonzo revealed that he was chosen by the Azimio coalition to be the minority leader and his appointment to cabinet should have been a coalition and not a party affair.
Spelling doom for the nominated ODM members, Kalonzo questioned how they came to support policies such as the bottom-up agenda that Azimio has rejected for months.
Kalonzo’s sentiments are vivid evidence of differing voices within the coalition on the back of the nominations, a move termed by President Ruto as a roadmap in forming a broad-based government.
Already, Azimio is without Martha Karua, who had written to the coalition on behalf of NARC Kenya notifying them of their exit.
On his part, ODM party leader, Raila Odinga said on July 25 that the move by President William Ruto to nominate four of his allies into Cabinet positions did not mean he was entering a coalition with the government.
Azimio Leader, Raila Odinga delivers a speech on June 5, 2024. /MUSALIA MUDAVADI