ODM Leaders Threaten to Withdraw Support for Uhuru and Handshake

A section of ODM leaders led by Siaya Senator James Orengo has threatened to withdraw their support for President Kenyatta and the handshake.

The leaders accused some members of the Jubilee Party led by Deputy President William Ruto of frustrating the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), a brainchild of President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga. 

They asked Uhuru to crack the whip on Ruto and his allies, who they claimed have been undermining and disrespecting the president.

“As ODM, we made a choice to support and work with the government. But we will only do so when they are on the right track. If they keep on provoking us, then we are ready to go to the trenches for the sake of Kenyans who are looking up to us,” said Orengo while speaking in Siaya.

“The deputy president of the Republic of Kenya has a permanent seat in the Cabinet and the Constitution requires the Cabinet to act collectively. The time has come for him to make a choice just like the first vice president Jaramogi Oginga Odinga did when he had an ideological difference with President Jomo Kenyatta,” added Orengo.

His sentiments were echoed by other ODM leaders who stated that Ruto should stop blaming the Jubilee administration’s failures on Raila.

"Even us in the opposition find it difficult to deal with a divided house in Jubilee. And this is the reason we beseech the President to take charge and put his house in order," Orengo added.