Editor's Review

"If I was seated in State House it's good music because those are the ones likely to guarantee William Ruto another five-year term."

Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has opined that the confusion in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) will guarantee President William Ruto a second term in office.

Speaking on Monday, February 24, Kioni noted that there are two factions in both ODM and UDA.

He explained that in ODM one side is supporting the Ruto administration while the other faction is opposed to the current regime.

The former Ndaragwa lawmaker also pointed out that in UDA one side is fully behind President Ruto and another behind former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

“As we sit today, we have what I may call ODM B, you can clearly see two very vicious groups in ODM. You can see you have ODM A and ODM B. B has decided that it is supporting the current regime even come 2027 they will vote for them and A is completely at variance with that.

"When you go to UDA, there is UDA A, which is stuck with the government, and UDA B which is stuck with Gachagua and you can now see opposition B is trying to play opposition politics and they are in government,” said Kioni.

File image of Jeremiah Kioni. 

The Jubilee Secretary-General observed that if the confusion in the two major parties continues until 2027, Ruto will easily be re-elected.

“We have ODM B seated in opposition but trying to play government. These two units ODM B and UDA B, if I was seated in State House it's good music because those are the ones likely to guarantee William Ruto another five-year term,” Kioni remarked.

He continued “It's very clear in my mind if this confusion they have brought into the opposition continues that is a way of giving another five-year term to the sitting President.”

Kioni's remarks come after Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma said that the disagreement in ODM is majorly on the strategy to capture power.

According to Kaluma, one faction of the party believes that ODM should join forces with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i to remove President William Ruto from power while the other side doesn’t want anything to do with Gachagua and would rather support Ruto in 2027 that the former DP.

“No doubt, each side is doing all it can to pull Prime Minister Raila Odinga to its side,” the Homa Bay Town MP stated.