Governors allied with President William Ruto have castigated former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for openly criticising US Ambassador Meg Whitman at the ongoing Devolution Conference in Uasin Gishu.
Speaking minutes after Raila's address on Thursday, the leaders led by Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika called on the ODM leader to take a break and refrain from condemning the ambassador who was appointed to serve in Kenya in December 2021.
Kihika described the comments by Raila as unfortunate, even expressing that Whitman was among the most hardworking diplomats in the country.
Ruto's team, therefore, vowed to defend Whitman against the opposition's threats to have her recalled from Kenya.
"She represents and talks about Kenya more positively and patriotically than many Kenyans. Perhaps it is also time for us to tell him (Raila) to shut up," Kihika, a vocal critic of the opposition, stated.
On the other hand, the governors accused the Azimio boss of inciting them against the national government under Ruto.
The county bosses argued that the opposition leader used the devolution conference to undermine some of the partnership programmes between the two levels of government.
"For 10 years, we have been working well with the National Government. He is trying to incite against the national government in the distribution of cheap fertiliser, which is now Ksh2,500 fertiliser. Does he mean well to Kenya?" she wondered.
The statement by the governors came minutes after Raila accused Whitman of meddling in the affairs of the country, asking her to shut up instead.
Raila described Whitman as a rogue ambassador who needed to be called to order and threatened to push for her withdrawal from Kenya.
This was after Whitman described the 2022 General to be one of the fairest and most transparent in the country's history, contrary to Raila's perspective.
“The rogue Ambassador must be told that Kenya is not a colony of the United States of America. She must respect Kenyans or keep her mouth shut,” the opposition leader warned.
