The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation by nine Members of Parliament (MPs) and one senator who met President William Ruto at State House on Tuesday, February 7.
On Wednesday, February 8, Sifuna demanded that each of the elected leaders submit detailed reports on the alleged development they talked about with the president.
He wanted the lawmakers to generate a checklist of the projects they were referring to which their constituents would cross-check against if indeed they were honest.
"It would also be interesting to get a list of the “development” discussed from each member who went to the State House so that their electorate can follow up on implementation," the SG remarked.
Irked by the meeting, Sifuna argued that if Ruto was hell-bent on working with the leaders for the sake of the people, he would not have sneaked them into the House on the Hill.
"Just like the government does not call when taxing you, you, one does not need a meeting there to get development; it is your right. These statehouse visitors are being dishonest, " Sifuna explained.
The Nairobi Senator frowned upon the mass decamping of Azimio-affiliated leaders to work with the government less than five months after the poll.
He asked them to borrow a leaf from his uncle and former Bumula MP, Lawrence Sifuna, who stood firm with the people as colleagues caved in to pressure to work with the Nyayo regime.
In the aftermath of the meeting, Lang'ata legislator Phelix 'Jalang'o' Odiwuor, hinted that Ruto may have set him up for the meeting.
He claimed that he had simply honoured the invitation with the interests of his constituents' needs and that not even Azimio Chief would talk him out of it.
"Even if Raila would have told me not to attend the meeting at State House, I would. The people of Lang'ata do not care who is the president but are more concerned about the delivery of the mandate they gave me," Jalang'o stated.
In the wake of the raid defection of leaders to government, ODM convened a parliamentary group, meeting to restore order to its house.
