I am waiting for your resignations, Sifuna tells ODM CS nominees

By Peter Ochieng

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna says he is waiting for four party officials nominated to join President William Ruto’s cabinet to hand over their resignation letters, before they face Members of Parliament (MPs) for vetting from 1st to 4th August, 2024.

On Wednesday, President Ruto nominated ODM deputy party leaders, Hassan Ali Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya alongside chairman John Mbadi and minority leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi to the cabinet, in what he termed as broad-based government.

If MPs approve their nominations, John Mbadi will be in charge of the National Treasury, replacing Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u, James Opiyo Wandayi will become the CS for Energy and Petroleum, Hassan Ali Joho will be at the helm of the Mining, Blue Economy ministry while Wycliffe Oparanya will take charge of the Cooperatives docket.

Appearing on Citizen TV on Thursday morning, Sifuna maintained that the four were not recommended by the party to join Ruto’s cabinet. "I expect that before they go for vetting, I will receive resignations from their positions in the party. That is my expectation because the law is that they cannot go into cabinet as parties and members of political parties," Sifuna said.

"Did we know that people were negotiating with Ruto? Yes, we knew. Was it something being done officially through the party structures? No. Did we endorse the decision by these four individuals to join the government? No. It is not a decision of ODM,” added the Nairobi Senator.

He claimed that as far as he is concerned, ODM party leader Raila Odinga was not consulted by Ruto, before settling on the four aforementioned.

"If Raila Odinga was asked to present names of people who are capable of turning around this country and address the issues that have been raised by Gen Z, the Raila I know will not present four names of all men. There is no way Raila presents four names, two from one region in a party as diverse as ODM."

A day before the nominations, Siaya governor James Orengo warned ODM members against taking CS slots in Ruto’s cabinet. “Taking the CS position in the name of ODM betrays the principles of the constitution and the progressive movement which the party represents. It's absolute treachery and an act of political cannibalism. Even hyenas are not as bloodthirsty to eat the dead,” Orengo said.