Orengo said he is speaking on his own capacity because he has no confidence in Ruto/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 27 – Senate Minority Leader James Orengo has denied claims that he is speaking on behalf of his party leader Raila Odinga in calling for the impeachment of Deputy President William Ruto.
Speaking on Citizen TV Tuesday night, Orengo said he is speaking on his own capacity because he has no confidence in Ruto.
“Raila has got his own mouth and I have my own mouth. When I am speaking on behalf of Raila Odinga which I have done before, I would say as much. I do not know if he shares the same thoughts but when I was saying this I was saying it as James Orengo; I was supported by some members who are not necessarily from ODM, but they are in NASA; what I said is my own views,” said Orengo.
The Siaya Senator cited gross misconduct and insubordination as his main reasons why he wants the Deputy President impeached.
“I am convinced because of his insubordination; undermining the authority of institutions, established public institutions… there has been direct accusations against the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), yet he is in the government and that war on corruption was not announced by the DPP but the president,” Orengo stated.
Orengo further stated that Ruto should be impeached as he is always linked with corruption allegations and added that he must be investigated.
On Tuesday, a section of Ruto allies led by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro accused Odinga of using Orengo to upstage the DP in their quest to scuttle his 2022 presidential bid.
“We saw this coming and we have been saying it repeatedly. Some people came to us in the name of handshake, yet they had other hidden agenda; so, we already know that it is not Orengo who is speaking but Raila Odinga; he is using him to destroy our beautiful home called Jubilee and I want to warn him that his intentions will not succeed under our watch,” Nyoro said.
The Orange Democratic Movement has however disowned the push by Senate Minority Leader Orengo to sponsor a motion for the impeachment of the DP.
ODM Chairman John Mbadi said the party has not met to discuss the matter and dismissed the plot as personal.
This the second time ODM has been forced to come out publicly and distance itself from pronouncements by the Siaya Senator after he stated last month that there is an agreement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga to form a political alliance for the 2022 General Election.
At the same time, Homa Bay County Woman Representative Gladys Wanga and Minority Deputy Whip Chris Wamalwa also expressed the opposition in the manner in which the matter had been canvassed citing that it lacks the constitutional threshold to be passed by the National Assembly.
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