Edwin Sifuna, Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has publicly stated that Raila Odinga, the party leader, did not propose the names of four ODM officials who were nominated to President William Ruto's Cabinet.
This announcement has caused quite a stir in Kenyan political circles, given the significance of the involved individuals and the potential implications for ODM's position within the government.
The four ODM officials in question are Opiyo Wandayi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and John Mbadi. These nominations were notable because of the officials' prominent roles within the party.
Opiyo Wandayi, who serves as ODM's political affairs chief, was nominated for the Energy Ministry. Hassan Joho, the party's deputy leader, was picked for the Mining Ministry.
Wycliffe Oparanya, another deputy leader, was nominated to oversee the Ministry of Cooperatives. Finally, John Mbadi, the ODM national chairman, was selected to be the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury.
Despite their prominent roles within ODM, Sifuna emphasized that these nominations were not sanctioned by Raila Odinga. According to Sifuna, the party leader was neither consulted nor involved in the decision-making process for these appointments.
Sifuna pointed out that Raila Odinga has always been a strong advocate for gender and regional balance in appointments.
He argued that if Raila had been responsible for nominating individuals for these Cabinet positions, he would have ensured that both men and women were represented and that different regions of Kenya were considered.
The current nominations, which include four men and do not reflect a broad regional balance, do not align with Raila's long-standing principles.
"If Raila was asked to present names of people who are capable of turning around this country and addressing the issues raised by Gen Zs, he would not present four names, all being men. We have a very strong sentiment within the party that even in meetings, three men cannot speak before a woman speaks, lest you get yourself in trouble. There is no way Raila presents four names, two from one region, in a party as diverse as ODM," Sifuna stated.
Sifuna was clear that the four ODM officials engaged with President Ruto and accepted the nominations in their personal capacities. This distinction is crucial as it underscores that the decision did not have the official backing of the ODM party or its leader, Raila Odinga.
The Secretary General further suggested that these officials should consider resigning from their party positions to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Sifuna argued that it would be inappropriate for them to hold both party positions and Cabinet roles simultaneously. He insisted that such dual roles could undermine the party's independence and its role as an opposition entity.
Contrary to some speculations, Sifuna made it clear that ODM has not entered into a coalition with the Kenya Kwanza government.
He emphasized that the nominations of the four officials should not be interpreted as an alliance between ODM and President Ruto's administration.
Sifuna dismissed claims that the opposition party had automatically joined the government following the nominations.
"The Nairobi senator insisted that the Orange party would not be turned into a subsidiary of the Executive by virtue of the quartet taking up the posts. According to him, the four ODM officials accepted Ruto's nomination in their individual capacities and without the party's blessing," Sifuna reiterated.
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