By Joshua Cheloti

Senate leader of the majority Aaron Cheruiyot has waded into the ongoing heated debate related to a recent surprise visit by a section of ODM legislators to the State House.

9 Nyanza leaders, including 8 elected on an ODM ticket on Tuesday visited the State House, Nairobi where they met with President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.

The timing of the meeting meant it would cause a political storm.

But according to the Kericho Senator, many ODM leaders have in the past visited State House, but never has their visit generated a fuss as is the case today.

In a tweet on February 8, 2023, the vocal legislator wondered why the party and several other top officials were all over issuing statements following the visit.

“Many ODM MPs have previously visited the president…There was no fuss… No press releases by Orengo and Nyongo… Why the grogginess when Luo Nyanza MPs meet the president? R they lesser leaders? Nope,” the senator said in part of his tweet.

He claimed the fuss is part of ODM and Raila Odinga’s mode of operation that thrives in threats and blackmail.

“It’s how the Odinga enterprise is sustained through threats n blackmail…” Cheruiyot said.

Following the visit of the Nyanza leaders, ODM director of Communications Phillip Etale sent out a press release distancing the party from the leaders.

Etale, in the statement, further said, the leaders visited State House in their personal capacity.

He also noted that it did not come as a surprise to the party.

“The visit to State House this morning by a section of ODM members of parliament has not come as a surprise to the party and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Movement. The party has been monitoring closely the behind-the-scenes activities involving some of them and today was just the climax,” read part of the statement.

“We call on Kenyans to ignore such selfish leaders who only care about their stomachs and not the well-being of the millions of poor Kenyans,” it added.

Several other ODM leaders have also hit out at the leaders that were present in the meeting.

Siaya Governor James Orengo said the visit was not sanctioned by any of the ODM officials.

“We disassociate ourselves with a visit to State House, Nairobi by a group of ODM MPs. The visit by the MPs was personal and not sanctioned by any of our official ODM party organs,” Orengo tweeted.

On his part, Narok Senator Ledama Olekina seemed to suggest the 9 were free to cross over to the government side.
He tweeted, “Better fewer, But Better” the revolution will not be televised …”