A sharp disagreement has unfolded between State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, over reports that Nairobi Members of Parliament (MPs) snubbed a meeting with President William Ruto on Monday.
The exchange has exposed underlying tensions between key political figures, raising questions about the dynamics of ODM’s cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza government.
The controversy began when Daily Nation published a front-page story on Wednesday, September 11, under the headline, “Why Raila MPs Skipped Ruto Meeting.”
Why it matters: The inclusion of opposition figures in government has sparked mixed reactions, further exacerbating existing divisions within ODM, particularly over the looming question of Raila Odinga’s succession. This growing rift not only threatens the unity of the opposition but could also create instability within the broader political landscape.
A collage of ODM Sec Gen Edwin Sifuna and State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.
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Kenyans.co.ke
If tensions between ODM and the ruling Kenya Kwanza government persist, it could lead to significant gridlock, slowing down crucial government functions.
Such friction could disrupt legislative processes, policy implementation, and service delivery, directly impacting ordinary Kenyans. As the government struggles to maintain cohesion in this politically charged environment, essential programmes — from housing projects to economic reforms — may face delays, potentially derailing President Ruto’s development agenda.
Dig deeper: The article claimed that several ODM MPs had boycotted a State House meeting with the President, citing internal discontent within the party following ODM leader Raila Odinga’s political truce with Dr Ruto. According to the story, this disquiet had led to the MPs’ absence, with some members wary of how their constituents might react to ODM’s perceived integration into the Kenya Kwanza government.
State House was quick to refute the claims. Hussein Mohamed took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to dispute the reports, labelling them as inaccurate.
“There was no formal meeting as suggested,” Hussein wrote. He clarified that the President had inspected a housing project in Kibera on Monday, and that the few MPs who were present had only joined the President for an informal lunch afterward,” he asserted.
“State House communicates or invites MPs or any other individuals or groups through official channels only. For *Daily Nation* to base its story on a source outside these official channels is both misleading and irresponsible,” he stated.
However, the response from State House did not sit well with Senator Edwin Sifuna, who swiftly dismissed the spokesperson’s statement. “You are lying,” Sifuna retorted, making it clear that he and other ODM lawmakers had deliberately avoided the event.
“The President has no powers to convene members of ODM,” Sifuna continued, accusing President Ruto of overstepping his authority. “I found the invitation disrespectful as it perpetuates nefarious political ends,” Sifuna was quoted stating on the piece by Nation.
Sifuna’s remarks echoed sentiments of dissatisfaction among some ODM legislators, who have grown increasingly uneasy with the party’s warming relations with the Ruto administration. Following Raila Odinga’s deal with President Ruto, which saw five ODM members incorporated into the government’s Cabinet, concerns have been raised about the party’s direction. The absence of several prominent Nairobi ODM MPs from Monday’s gathering, including Sifuna, Anthony Oluoch (Mathare), Babu Owino (Embakasi East), and Tim Wanyonyi (Westlands), was seen as a silent protest.
Makadara MP George Aladwa had earlier sent a message to Nairobi ODM lawmakers, informing them of the President’s request for their presence at the housing project and the subsequent State House meeting. But most of them did not attend, with Aladwa, Beatrice Elachi (Dagoretti North), Phelix Odiwuor “Jalang’o” (Lang’ata), and Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris being the only MPs who showed up.
Hussein Mohamed, for his part, remained defiant in the face of Sifuna’s accusations, standing by his earlier statement that there was no formal meeting called. The State House spokesperson emphasised that any interactions between the President and MPs would be communicated officially, reiterating that Monday’s events had been misrepresented.
ODM party leader Raila Odinga speaking in Busia on Monday, January 15, 2024
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ODM
