ODM national chairman John Mbadi has defended the party from blame over the poor performance of some governors in Nyanza.
Many residents of Nyanza have blamed ODM for poor services by some governors who were elected on its ticket.
The governors, Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), John Nyagarama (Nyamira), Okoth Obado (Migori), James Ongwae (Kisii) and Cornel Rasanga (Siaya) were all elected on the ODM ticket in the 2017 election.
All the governors, except Nyong’o, are serving their second term in office.
In the last general election, ODM got more than 95 per cent of seats in the region.
The residents say it is ODM which compelled them to vote for candidates not keen on service delivery.
But speaking at Misambi health centre during a fundraiser for community health assistants in Kabondo Kasipul constituency on Saturday, Mbadi said the party should not be blamed for any governor's failures.
He told residents to blame the individual governors instead.
“We know some governors haven’t done as expected. The blame should go directly to the individual governors since ODM has no constitutional mandate to control how governors should spend public funds,” Mbadi said.
He was with MCAs James Ochieng’ (Kabondo East), Godfrey Anyango (Kabondo West), Evans Marieba (Gwassi North) and politician Jared Kajomo. Mbadi said MCAs check the county executive.
The National Assembly minority leader urged MCAs to improve their oversight role to prevent corruption.
Mbadi said it is worrying that only senior officials in some county governments are becoming millionaires while the common man wallows in poverty.
“It is unfortunate people have continuously blamed ODM but let MCAs strengthen their oversight role on the executive to prevent cases of corruption,” he added.