•Prof Ojienda pointed out that a meaningful engagement with the government should not be politicized.
•He was summoned to the State House following the agreement on various projects for Kisumu county.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda has defended the State House visit saying it was simply a strategic meeting on matters of development and not political as being propagated.
He said he was summoned to the State House following the agreement on various projects for Kisumu.
Besides his oversight role, Ojienda said nothing bars him from lobbying for projects to better the lives of people.
“I said it was important as the people take centre stage. We then have to look at the real output. The output will be there to be seen,” he said.
On February 7, Ojienda, Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East, Independent) Felix Odiwuor alias Jalang’o (Lang’ata), Paul Abuor (Rongo) and John Owino (Awendo) met President Willam Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
They held a consultative meeting with the president as a follow-up on Ruto's visit to the Nyanza region in January.
Prof Ojienda pointed out that a meaningful engagement with the government should not be politicized.
“We are part of the government because once you are elected you are in government …you are a state officer,” he said.
He noted with concern the whole misconception of the government as an entity saying that the presidency is just one arm of government.
Prof Ojienda said elected leaders cannot afford to work with the presidency and with other arms of government such as the Judiciary and Parliament.
“The problem was engaging the president because he is from another political party but we must look at the president from his role as the representative of all Kenyans. He is the embodiment of the Republic of Kenya in the constitution. He is not just a party leader,” he said.
The senator said there are different leaders in various parties and they serve in government, including those in Kenya Kwanza and Azimio are from different parties.
He spoke at his office in Kisumu on Monday during the disbursement of Sh8.3 million in school fees to bright and needy students.
“This scholarship is not one of them but from my own kitty which has been ongoing,” he added.
Prof Ojienda stated that services were about ideologies and eventually what every leader brings to the people.
“I’m firmly on the ground to ensure that my people in the seven sub-counties in Kisumu get services because they pay taxes. I should ensure they get affordable seed rice, dykes, seed maize and proper roads,” he said.
He pointed out that he has to work with everybody including MCAs for the realization of developments in the county.
“We have to ensure the roads are murramed properly. Those are roles that must be undertaken. But of course, I also undertake oversight so that the county government works. That I shall do with all my strength and I will continue to perform,” he said.
Prof Ojienda said he was very competent to perform his role as a senator and nobody can question that.
He added,
“People will ask me what I am doing for them. The noble role that I have taken is to be the anchor with those different government departments that can help the people of Kisumu county.”
“That’s why I’m engaging roads, agriculture, social services and different players including donors to enable the delivery of development to the people of Kisumu county.”
By the end of five years, he said the electorates will evaluate and see what I have delivered to them.
“I want to come back to the people with a scorecard that shows that I have performed because I have delivered on various projects,” Ojienda said.
On the legitimacy of the president, he said there is a framework that is defined by law on how individuals ascend to power.
“There is a political question that I do not want to get myself into. The other political question is beyond me because that is politicians doing politics,” he said.
He, however, said that in his mind and view, there is a president and country, noting that was the correct position.
“If there is no president then there is no legislature and judiciary. Therefore you cannot be an MP when you say there was no election,” Prof Ojienda said.
“How can a member of parliament say there was no election? How can I be a senator if I say there was no election? Those are not legal questions but politics.”
Prof Ojienda said there is a president and a country and as elected leaders, they have a business to run as politicians.
He clarified that opposition politics is not about recognition but oversight and correcting what is wrong.
“I shall continue to do my oversight role. As an opposition politician, you correct what is wrong and affirm what is correct. I cannot criticise when the road is tarmacked but I will call for his tarmacking when it is not,” Ojienda said.