- They say, Odinga, as the father of protests, should learn that the regular demos are not achieving much.
- Majority Chief Whip Sylvanus Osoro and UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said Odinga is already not achieving much with his regular demonstrations and it is time he changed tact.
A United Democratic Alliance Party membership recruitment drive in Kisii was Monday turned into an Azimio leader Raila Odinga bashing function.
Leaders criticized the ODM party leader for plotting to orchestrate anti-government on Friday 7 this week.
Majority Chief Whip Sylvanus Osoro and UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said Odinga is already not achieving much with his regular demonstrations and it is time he changed tact.
"As the father of Saba Saba demonstration himself, he should realize that these protests year after another are useless and it is time he changed his political tactics," Osoro said.
The South Mugirango MP said Kenya has already moved on from polls and it is time leaders were united in the vision to move the country forward.
He urged citizens to exercise patience as the Kenya Kwanza Government moves to implement its development manifesto.
Malala separately bashed Senator Okiya Omtata for being used to stymie government plans with court cases and injunctions.
"How long is he going to be used to doing this? We cannot use courts to impede government plans to push its agenda forward," he told hundreds of people who turned up for registration at Monarch in Kitutu Chache South.
Some former Ward Reps in the Kisii County Assembly defected from ODM to UDA during the event.
The function was attended by, among others, former Kisii Governor James Ongwae, MPs Japhet Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North), Alfa Miruka (Bomachoge Chache), Zaheer Chanda (Nyaribari Chache), Daniel Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba) and Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri.
Also in attendance was former County MP Janet Ong'era who had defected to UDA alongside James Ongwae weeks after the General election.
UDA party head of Strategy and mobilization Charleston Matoke also attended.
Mirula faulted the filing of a case against the finance bill terming it a waste of effort.
Jhanda told those who joined UDA late to be patient and wait in the queue adding that the administration will first deal with those who laid the foundation stone.
He urged the County residents not to heed calls to go to protests on Friday.
Nyakundi said as the Kisii nation, they will be harvesting from the farms when Odinga will be in the streets.
"We are only asking the courts to quickly dispense with the case on the finance bill so that the country can move forward," he said
Former Kisii Governor James Ongwae said he was now fully a life member of the UFA party and will continue rallying more other Kenyans to join the party.
He said by the next poll Kisii should vote Kenya Kwanza to the last man.
"We don't want to hear about 40 or 70 percent but 90 or a hundred percent vote in 2027," stated Ongwae.
He praised Ruto saying his economic agenda for the country was the most robust and forward-looking
"Just go through it, you will realize it is good. From infrastructure to industrial parks, let's continue to support him," stated Ongwae.
He urged the residents to turn to the party registration at the grassroots level.
Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri praised the president for raising salaries for the Civil servants
She, however, criticized the Azimio brigade saying it consists of politically selfish people who are up to no good.
"It is in the open that from Nominations they do it to their sons and daughters. And now they want to drive people's children to the streets, this is political madness," she said.
Janet Ongera rejected calls by Odinga to Kenyans to go to the streets.
She said Kenyans were pressed by enough challenges to grapple with than going to the streets.
Separately South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro criticized Kisii Governor Simba Arati for using public funds for his personal trips.
He told him to reduce rhetoric and begin serving the people of Kisii.
"It is not time for blame games on who did not do this or that, he should chart his development agenda for his people," stated Osoro.
He said the Gusii region would benefit from mega infrastructural upgrades courtesy of the Kenya Kwanza Government and asked local governor Simba Arati to support the government.
County Senator Richard Onyonka who passed by the event asked President William Ruto to act on the spiralling cost of living.
"Even when doing party recruitment drives, let's remain realistic that many Kenya are still hurting and that is why I ask you to tell the President not to assume that things are normal for the people he is leading," he said.