Abandon protests for dialogue with Ruto, MPs tell Raila

Western leaders are asking Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga to end his protests and adopt dialogue with President William Ruto.

The leaders spoke at Kibabii Boys’ high school on Saturday during the burial of former Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) director general Engineer Francis Wangusi.

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa told ODM Leader Raila Odinga the Constitution provides avenues for the  government to engage with the opposition.

He said every Kenyan knows a number of issues are not right in the country and need work by the Kenya Kwanza government.

“Raila must end his frequent protests and give Ruto time to work on the ailing economy. We cannot continue with politics all the time,” Barasa said

Barasa said, however, that the only way the high cost of living can be solved is through the budget making process adding that Parliament has just approved the budget-making estimates.

Ruto’s vocal MP asked MP’s from the opposition side to work with the Kenya Kwanza legislators to scrutinise the budget presented to the public in a few months

“We cannot solve the hard economy through accusations and protests. If Raila wants Kenyans to join him in protest, let him front his own children and family members, then others will follow,” Barasa said.

Barasa’s sentiments were echoed by his Webuye West counterpart Dan Wanyama who said that Raila has led demonstrations since former president Moi’s era. He said Odinga is doing so to lobby for the handshake.

Wanyama urged the Azimio leader to leave the stage for others to lead the opposition team.

“We are used to our grandfather Raila Odinga's protests after every general election. We appreciate his job he has done for us, let him go and rest,” Wanyama said.

Wanyama called on the public to report to duty as usual, saying Raila has no mandate to declare Monday a holiday.

Bumula MP Wanami Wamboka asked the elected leaders from the Western region to be united and discharge their mandate constitutionally.

Wamboka said that he will take an impeachment motion to the floor of the house against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the DP is disrespecting others.

“The DP should know he is the DP for the entire country, not a Mt Kenya leader, everybody is paying tax and should enjoy the fruits of devolution,” Wamboka said.

The DAP-K MP said that Kenyans should stop leaning to one side and instead embrace the two leaders adding that neither President Ruto nor the Azimio chief is bigger than the Republic of Kenya.

“Those advising the two leaders are the ones misleading them, both of them are our own, let them have dialogue and sort it out,” he said.

Activist Senator Okiya Omtatah said the opposition should continue providing tough oversight to the government, adding he faced a strong opposition in Busia while seeking to replace Amos Wako as  senator.

“I did not join Kenya Kwanza or Azimio so that I could become a senator, I stood firm and de-campaigned my opponents," Omtatah said. He ran on the National Reconstruction Alliance ticket.

The Busia senator called on the Western leaders to unite and work towards reviving ailing industries, saying that the region’s economy is in the ICU.

Omtatah said he is the only politician from Western who opposed Ruto’s win up to the Supreme Court. He said he only accepted that Ruto is the president after the Supreme Court upheld his win.

David Wafula Wakoli, Bungoma senator, said it is high time Kenyans and the church put ODM leader Raila Odinga in prayers, adding Odinga is suffering a curse that is burdening him.

(Edited by V. Graham)