ODM leaders eat their words, at pains to defend Ruto's policies

When politics was heated, they hit the government hard criticizing and dismissing it as if it was an unwanted evil agent. Beginning Thursday last week, however, all have swallowed back their words and declared their allegiance to the powers that be as they had a glimpse of immediate benefits dancing on the horizon after being nominated Cabinet Secretaries.

That is what the Opposition leaders have treated the country to going silent on their past criticism against President William Ruto’s administration as they all pledged to support him to fulfil its promises to the people.

Yesterday, ODM Deputy Party leaders Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Joho said to have already resigned from steering the opposition party appeared before the Moses Wetang'ula-led National Assembly Committee on Appointments and without mincing their words recanted their past stand against the Ruto administration. Joho gladly welcomed the cliché ‘only fools don’t change their words’ which was generously quipped by Wetang'ula - the House speaker.

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Joho, the nominee for CS Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs was reminded about his famous remarks ‘Myself I cannot work with Ruto, what will we be discussing?’ The challenge came from Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda.

"You are quoted in public for having said I don't ever dream of engaging with Ruto,..mimi niongee na Ruto niongee na Ruto nini?" said Lesuuda adding “You will be sitting in a cabinet where he will be chairing, I would like to know how you will engage." 

Although committee chair intervened to shield the former Mombasa governor from responding, the controversial statement was out and the former governor was quick at it claiming he had changed his mind.

"Only a fool does not change his mind. I have been a big critic of this government. Now I have an opportunity to create a difference. I will do exactly that," Joho said.

Joho also committed to rising above local politics and assist President Ruto in uniting the country telling the members of the vetting panel that if approved he would focus on his mandate of serving the nation.

On February 10 2022, the former Mombasa governor dismissed Ruto's ability to deliver development to the people of Kenya if elected president. He claimed Ruto had demonstrated incompetence in the 10 years he served as deputy president.

While speaking in Vihiga County at an Azimio la Umoja rally, Joho said Ruto would not achieve anything even if he is given 20 years in office. "Ruto has been in office for the last 10 years and we have not seen his efforts in Kenya's development. We want to support Raila Odinga to create a level ground for other communities to get a chance for the top seat," he said.

Oparanya who also faced the panel yesterday faced a moment of facing head-on his earlier criticism of the hustler fund. He had accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of tokenism. Oparanya seemed to have had a U-turn after being picked by Ruto to steer the docket under which the fund is domiciled-Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

“About the Hustler Fund, I had not known the facts about it until now I've been briefed about it. I think this fund, if well managed, is a fund that will help our people" Oparanya said and added “The only problem is that this fund was lodged in a hurry, without proper legal structures in place. And in the process, the Treasury allocated Sh13 billion. From those 13 billion, because of borrowing, again and again, the turnover has gone to 55 billion,” Oparanya told the committee. 

While hailing the fund, Oparanya said the only problem was that there lacked a framework to recover the loaned amount saying its digital infrastructure did not support recovery.

“A board has just been put in place, but there is no staff. Because of this fund, the good news is that when you borrow, 30 per cent of the money you borrow goes to savings. It encourages savings, and at the moment, even savings now have reached about 3.1 billion. And savings are very critical. It also has the element of retirement benefits. They have even now put there a benefit of health care. So if well managed, this is a very useful fund.” 

Oparanya has been Ruto’s harshest critic on his forays on opposition benches where on September 11 2022, he criticized leaders who were crossing over from the Opposition to join the government terming the move election fraud.

“It's unfortunate and if they are being enticed, that is election fraud, because you cannot be talking about Azimio just a week ago and days after you moved to Kenya Kwanza because you want favours. Those are the leaders I would say are cheap,” he said.

Oparanya said if leaders continue defecting, Kenya might return to the Kanu days of only one political party.

“Kenya is a multi-party and we should respect that. We don't want to return to Kanu days where we used to have one party, dominating the political scene of the country,” he said. 

In the true colours of a Kenyan politician, Oparanya said he will be sticking to the opposition side and will be having discussions if the office of leader of the opposition should be established and funded by the government.

 Oparanya and Joho have now relinquished their positions in ODM and crossed over to the government side.

The entire top leadership of ODM can be said to have joined President Ruto after Chairman John Mbadi and Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi readily accepted nominations for CS Treasury and Energy respectively.

Mbadi was a nominated MP, apart from being ODM’s chairman and chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee while Wandayi was ODM Secretary to Political Affairs, Ugunja MP apart from being a Minority leader.

The two leaders did not leave Ruto to run away with anything without raising hell about it. They hit Ruto’s Bottom Up economic agenda, his Government-to-government oil deal, the Finance Bill and even his last year's CS appointments. The ‘skunk’ remark by Mbadi while contributing to Ruto CS nominations for CS on the floor of the house will remain alive for a while.