Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has defended Siaya Governor James Orengo and Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o following the criticism they have faced for their remarks on the government.
Speaking in Homa Bay County on Friday, April 25, Raila maintained that Orengo was within his democratic right to criticise the government.
He expressed that the governor was only speaking on issues based on the Mou that was signed between ODM and UDA, allaying any fear of a fallout.
Meanwhile, he also noted that Nyong'o was only out to defend devolution, a stand that the party was supporting.
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"I do not see the reason why people are bickering. When Orengo talks, he is talking on the basis of the Mou between ODM and UDA. He has not committed any crime. He has a democratic right to say what he is saying."
"When Prof Nyong'o speaks about devolution, he is talking the language of ODM," he stated.
On the other hand, he maintained that there was no coalition agreement between ODM and UDA. He reiterated that they were only working together for the betterment of Kenyans.
"There is no coalition between ODM and UDA. It is an arrangement based on a Mou which was signed between us in broad daylight," Raila remarked.
Orengo and Nyong'o have come under sharp criticism from leaders within ODM and UDA over their hard-hitting statements on the Kenya Kwanza administration.
For instance, Nyong'o accused the Ruto administration of undermining devolution while referring to the stalemate on the funds for road maintenance.
“The truth is that the Ruto regime has decided to go back to pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era. The 2010 constitution is a hindrance to its primitive accumulation schemes, which will affect not only devolution but the very ethos of building a national democratic and developmental state," he said.
Consequently, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot accused the county boss of blackmailing the President.
"ODM members, just like all their other colleagues in the National Assembly, are intent on retaining RMLF. The Senate has stood with COG on this matter to the best of its abilities, albeit with minimum success. Then, out of the blues in classic political pietism, the deputy party leader of ODM and Governor of Kisumu, Anyang' Nyong'o emerges blaming the president. A very poor blackmail attempt !" Cheruiyot stated.
