• The censure by ODM came barely three days after Raila and Ruto appeared Tuesday united in condemning the Monday arrest of three senators
• Sifuna said Ruto would be wrong to believe that perceived failures by Uhuru will raise his profile.
Image: CALISTUS CHETU
Raila Odinga’s ODM party has torn into Deputy President William Ruto over his remarks that he will not be blamed for embezzled Covid-19 funds.
ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna said it was improper for a senior government official like Ruto to go public and state that "at least now nobody will blame me for stealing Covid-19 funds".
“This statement suggests that it is okay for the funds to be stolen if he is not to blame, or even more unsettling, it expresses the jealousy of being left out of the gravy train,” Sifuna said.
He added that it was wrong for Ruto to make such remarks at a time when he should be helping President Uhuru Kenyatta to crack the whip on corruption cartels within the government.
He said it was regrettable that Ruto has been holding campaigns at his residence “while cheering wrongdoing within the government” instead of acting against the menace. We must ask Ruto to either rise to the occasion and play the role of a DP, or ship out and let the President work in peace,” he added.
The statement by ODM came barely three days after Raila and Ruto appeared united on Tuesday in condemning the Monday arrest of three senators ahead of the debate on the revenue-sharing formula.
Raila warned state agents against actions that would claw back the hard-won democratic space in the country while Ruto said Kenyans did not elect Jubilee to bully citizens.
Senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Steve Lelegwe (Samburu) and Christopher Lang'at (Bomet) were arrested and driven to their respective counties but were realised unconditionally.
Speaking during an induction retreat for newly appointed members of the ODM National Elections Board and disciplinary committee members at Starling Bird Resort in Machakos county, Sifuna said Ruto would be wrong to believe that perceived failures by Uhuru will raise his profile.
“We have pointed out before that the DP's recalcitrance and lack of political emotional intelligence are a hindrance to the smooth running of government,” he added.
Sifuna noted that Kenyans have in the past few days raised concerns over allegations leveled against the procurement and handling of Covid-19 protective gear by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency.
“Suffice it to say that all Kenyans of goodwill have found these allegations disturbing and thoroughly demoralising, at a time when we are losing more lives to the virus,” he explained.
Sifuna said ODM has restrained itself from responding to these allegations because of the desire to comment from an informed position.
“We gather that the DCI has been called into Kemsa to investigate these matters. We, however, wonder how this can be so before a credible audit by the Auditor General is carried out to ascertain the veracity of these claims,” he stated.
He assured that ODM will keep raising any concerns with government operations, specifically on Covid-19 related issues, “through the proper channels, without unnecessary drama and hubris”.
“We continue to fulfill our mandate as espoused in the ODM Manifesto while remaining cognizant of our role as a unifying agent in Kenyan politics. We will therefore not join the condemnation bandwagon but will keep probing and defending the right of Kenyans to get government services efficiently and at the right process."
Edited by R.Wamochie