The National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has urged ODM leaders to support the broad-based government to bargain for power in coming elections.
Mbadi slammed ODM members opposing Ruto’s re-election, terming them as distracters.
The CS accused some party officials of frustrating efforts by party leaders to make decisions which would enable the ODM party to acquire power in the future.
Mbadi, a life member of ODM who has served as the party’s national chairman, said ODM must support Ruto’s re-election.
Speaking on Sunday at God Agulu village when he led a team of politicians who campaigned for ODM candidate for Kasipul parliamentary by-election Boyd Were, Mbadi told the party officials opposing Ruto’s re-election to stop dragging the party back to the opposition.
“Supporting Ruto’s 2027 presidential bid is a done deal that is not negotiable anymore. Anybody who is opposing Ruto’s re-election is ruining the party’s prospects for power,” Mbadi said.
Mbadi told Nyanza residents to be cautious with ODM members who are opposing Ruto’s re-election. He said the best decision for ODM is to support Ruto’s re-election and argued that those opposed to the broad-based government were incapable of ensuring the future well-being of the party.
“It is unfortunate that the majority of ODM leaders who want to take us back to the politics of street protests are from Nyanza. But some of them are so old that senility was beckoning; they should be dismissed,” Mbadi said.
Mbadi said ODM officials who are opposing Ruto’s re-election in 2027 were working against efforts by the late Raila Odinga to ensure the party forms government.
“I want all my party members to remember that Raila started the journey to the presidency in 1997. He struggled to pave the way until he died when we were in the government. Let nobody take us backwards,” he added.
The CS said he knew what was good for the ODM party and its supporters. “I am speaking as a member of ODM who knows what is good for the party. We must support President Ruto’s re-election in 2027,” Mbadi said, adding the president has shown them political goodwill that should not be taken for granted.
“Despite our strongholds not voting for Ruto in 2022, he has shown us that he is a true friend of ours. For example, there are a number of development projects we are enjoying in Nyanza region because President Ruto is a true friend,” Mbadi said.
Mbadi argued that it is through supporting Ruto that they would negotiate with UDA to support an ODM member to become president in 2032.
If Ruto is re-elected, his presidential tenure will end in 2032. This will pave the way for new politicians in the presidential race.
Mbadi declared his interest in becoming the Luo kingpin with the objective of succeeding President Ruto in 2032 if he is re-elected.
“By supporting Ruto’s re-election, we are going to have a lot of development. It is through this plan that will enable us to negotiate and acquire power. I am also capable,” Mbadi said.
He told Kasipul residents to vote for Boyd Were during the by-election on Thursday.
Were promised to undertake development projects to transform the lives of Kasipul residents if elected.
“I appeal to the people of Kasipul to elect me so that I can complete the development projects which my father left,” Were said.
By Davis Langat
