Rift in ODM widens as Raila terms Jalang'o & MPs who met Ruto as traitors

During a Parliamentary Group meeting of the opposition party on Thursday, February 9, Odinga termed the legislators as traitors.

"If you want to go and see the president as a personal friend at State House, go. If you want to go and talk about issues that affect the party then you must be permitted by the party before you go to see the president. These people must be seen for what they are, traitors in the cause of a revolution," Raila spoke.

He dismissed the MPs’ explanation that their talks with President Ruto were about development projects in the regions they represent.

Azimio principals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka meet at Maanzoni Lodge on February 9, 2023 Pulse Live Kenya

Odinga said that the legislators were ill-advised by thinking that they have to beg the head of state to benefit from development projects, adding that every Kenyan has a right to be served by the government.

Raila also dismissed claims by Lang’ata MP Jalang’o that he had allowed opposition members to engage with the government on development projects.

“That was a time before the whistleblower came out with glaring evidence which we also had ourselves. That evidence was available to us but the whistleblower came out with irrefutable evidence,” Odinga said.

READ: Jalang'o: Why I didn't brief Raila before meeting Ruto

The former Prime Minister urged that MPs who had defected from the opposition should resign and seek a fresh mandate from voters.

“We see a very dangerous phenomenon developing where Members of Parliament are approaching the Executive supposedly for development in their constituencies.

“Under the current constitutional dispensation, resources are allocated by Parliament. The Executive comes up with a budget proposal and Parliament looks at that proposal and agrees on how to allocate resources,” Odinga said.

Despite the criticism, Jalang’o maintained that he was still loyal to the ODM leader. He was locked out of the meeting but managed to enter after intervention by colleagues Babu Owino and Junet Mohammed.

However, the MP said he was later asked to walk out by Odinga’s security detail moments after the Azimio leader arrived for the meeting.

“There are boys who blocked me and after that, I was allowed in. When Baba walked in, one of his close security asked me to walk out,” Jalang’o spoke.

He maintained that he does not regret meeting President Ruto at the State House, adding that he would not apologise.