ODM resolves to initiate recall of MPs who voted ‘Yes’ for Ruto’s impeached Finance Bill 2024
ODM Party Leaders suspended his campaign for the AU Chairmanship Tuesday to join calls for the William Ruto regime to leave office. Standing by the side of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna who spoke to the press in Nairobi after a Central Committee of ODM meeting, the party appeared to take a stand to support calls for the end of the Ruto regime, which has faced intense protests since last week when the Finance Bill was approved by Parliament but led to deadly protests and the storming of Parliament.
Sifuna claimed that over 30 young Kenyans had been killed by police while 50 more had been adducted while several lay in hospital or at home after receiving injuries sustained through police brutality. The party accused Ruto of abetting the violence and being insensitive
Although he did not speak to the press, Raila’s presence at the presser was a clear endorsement of its message, which endorsed the youth call for ‘Ruto Must Go!’
Sifuna was flanked by, among others, Deputy party Leaders Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya and Ali Hassan Joho and Raila sidekick Junet Mohammed. Raila Odinga, whose campaign for the AU Chairmanship has been floundering due to his prevarication, has lately appeared undecided over whether he should go to the AU or stay put in local politics. Raila has been linked, in political gossip, to what some of Ruto’s allies believe is a conspiracy to force him out of power and force fresh elections.
Blasting the Ruto regime, Siuna said Ruto led one of “the most callous, insensitive and obtuse regime in he history of Kenya.” ODM did not address itself to the issue of suspected hooligans and criminals who have disrupted the peaceful demonstrations with looting and violence meted on citizens either going about their business or demonstrating peacefully. But it castigated the police for its brutality and aid that it was “time for the political leadership to begin to listen. The young people have spoken. Let’s not be vague, lets do what the young people are telling the government to do.”
ODM also urged the politicians to seize the chance offered by the Gen Z protests now “and swim by implementing all their demands” instead of threatening to cut funding for the Judiciary and County Governments
Expressing its solidarity with the anti Finance Bill protestors, Sifuna announced that the party would initiate recall procedures for MPs who had voted for the Finance Bill last week. The affected constituencies are: Gem, Bondo, Navakholo, Kajiado Central, Ikolomani and Suba South.
If ODM goes ahead to start the recall process, it could be the first by a party, and indeed anywhere in Kenya and given the current mood, those MPs ae unlikely to win a return contest.