ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna now says the party did not approve the nomination of four party members to the Cabinet.
Speaking on Thursday, Sifuna affirmed that the move that saw the ODM Chairman John Mbadi, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi and Deputy Party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya join the cabinet was personal.
Joho was named Mining, Blue Economy, Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSME Development), Mbadi (National Treasury), and Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum).
He said this was not negotiated by the party adding that the four negotiated on their own with President William Ruto and that does not reflect the party’s position.
“They do not have blessings of the party. The position that we gave is that they are going to join the government in their capacity. We don’t begrudge them I wish them well,” he said.
“I can assure you that Mbadi doesn’t understand the bottom-up transformative manifesto. Can John Mbadi reduce taxes as the Treasury Cabinet Secretary?”
The Nairobi Senator said they needed to have a conversation first as the Orange Democratic Movement party and have a document highlighting their priority areas.
He stated that their priorities have not changed, adding that “we are not going there to talk about all these other things”.
Sifuna said there has not been any ODM party organs meeting that discussed the Cabinet Secretaries’ nomination.
According to the Nairobi Senator, while ODM did not endorse Mbadi, Joho, Oparanya, and Wandayi, they knew they were negotiating with President Ruto.
The leaders allied to Azimio leader Raila Odinga nominated by President William Ruto to the Cabinet include, Hassan Joho (Mining, Blue Economy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSME Development), John Mbadi (National Treasury) and Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum).
Before the fresh nominations, Ruto said that he was looking to consult widely to form a government of national unity.
“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, to set up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent, and irreversible, implementation of radical programs to deal with the burden of debt, raise domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies,” he said when he dissolved the Cabinet.
He further stated that this team would help him slay the dragon of corruption, consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective, and efficient.
